Gameplay
by Azurelitestar
Summary: P4 x DRRR. In which the Investigation Team learns that the truth isn't what it seems when strange happenings occur in Ikebukuro. Eventual Shizaya, hints for many other pairings. Spoilers for the DRRR anime and novels, and all Persona games.
1. Prologue

The first thing he notices upon his awakening is the cool breeze brushing against his face.

He's seated comfortably on a cushion, hands folded in his lap and legs planted firmly on the solid surface beneath his feet. It's shaking a little, and he hears something that sounds like a horse's neigh. He doesn't really understand why, but he's more interested in what he is doing here in the first place, for the last thing he remembers is lying down on his bed, finally getting the proper rest he deserved after being horribly sleep-deprived for the past week.

He remembers the silky sensation of his covers as he wrapped himself up with them. He remembers watching the moonbeams penetrating his window, and he remembers getting up to close the curtains. He doesn't remember the curtains being blue, though.

Yet here he is, in a tiny space with walls painted a deep shade of blue. He doesn't look down, but he's certain that the ground is blue as well, though he cannot offer a valid explanation for such feelings. The lighting is dim, but he's aided well by the moonlight coming in from the round hole next to him so he's able to make out the shape of a small round table in front of him. It is, doubtlessly, covered with a blue cloth.

There is a man sitting behind the table. He leans forward to get a better look, but finds himself unable to move, as if some force is holding him in place. He tries to curl his fingers, but they, too, remain perfectly still. It is then that he realises that he's not breathing. His heart is silent, despite the peculiarity of the circumstances he is currently in. The shaking has stopped.

In this moment of serenity and calmness, he hears a deep, smooth voice reverberating in his head. Then he focuses his gaze on the man before him, and doesn't flinch when he finds himself staring into a pair of bloodshot eyes, filled with what appears to be excitement and delight.

A chuckle.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

And the carriage moves on.


	2. April 12 2013 - April 13 2013

**Warning: Side character death ahead.**

A/N: I probably got some things wrong about education in Japan, among other things that you may notice as the story progresses. Do feel free to point out any mistakes to me, and I'll see if I am able to make changes, though the likelihood of that is very low. I apologise for that.

Thank you for reading (and also adding this to your alerts if you did)! I really appreciate it!

* * *

**April 12, 2013**

It had been nearly an entire year since his last visit to Inaba.

The previous time he returned to the peaceful town had been during the summer break in the preceding year. He was greeted by his close friends and family who held a party to commemorate his return. After that, Souji made sure to spend every moment possible with them: eating with them at the Junes food court, having sleepovers at the Amagi family inn, even reading out bedtime stories to his young cousin and taking her with him on the group outings.

He was glad to know that the friends he made during his year-long stay at Inaba didn't change their contact details, and called up all of them to arrange a time for them to meet up. Kou and Daisuke took him to see the progress of the basketball team he was a member of. Ai was there, doing her job as secretary of the team seriously, and spared a few minutes to engage him in a conversation. He noticed the many subtle hints the sandy blond-haired girl was dropping for the navy blue-haired captain, and it seemed like he was beginning to notice them and even blushing lightly sometimes, despite his feelings towards Satonaka. It made Souji feel relieved that Ai was coping well, but the situation worried him nonetheless; love triangles are..._complicated_.

Then he bumped into Yumi, who was busy with preparations for an upcoming school play. She still spent quite a while with him though, telling him about how her life had been after he left and thanking him once more before she sprinted off. After he left the school compounds and wandered into the shopping street, Souji bumped into Naoki at the liquour store. The latter seemed pleasantly surprised to see him back in Inaba, and told him about how he had been going to Junes more often. He even got along well with Hanumura now, which made Souji relieved and glad for the both of them.

Souji later dropped by the daycare centre, but didn't manage to see Eri. He made sure to leave a note with the staff to pass it to her when they saw her, then visited the hospital to ask the staff about Sayoko. Apparently, she had been recently awarded for her remarkable contributions through her volunteer work overseas, and would be heading to another secluded part of Africa to continue her efforts. It was heartwarming to hear that.

When taking the bus back to the shopping district, he had decided to pay Shu a little visit, but it turned out that the boy had friends over so Souji promptly left after exchanging a few words with Shu, feeling rather happy and proud of him. With some time to spare, Souji decided to spend it by heading towards the TV station to look for Marie. The first thing she did was call him a 'stupid jerk face'. The grey-haired adolescent laughed heartily upon hearing that.

The next day, he recalled, he had gone to the Tatsuhime Shrine to see the fox. He made an offering and a short but sincere prayer before he made his way over to the police station to visit Adachi in prison. It was not an easy decision to make, but Souji felt that it was the right thing to do. After all, he had not thanked the older man for writing the letter that led Souji and his team to Izanami.

And that was exactly what he did, the moment Adachi took a seat in the visiting room. His gesture startled the former detective a little, but after that, they engaged in a surprisingly normal conversation. Souji felt something stir within him after his visit, but shrugged it off, and returned home to an enthusiastic Nanako and Dojima, who had prepared a feast to commemorate his return to the Dojima household once more.

Souji had spent his entire summer holiday in Inaba, and was sad when the break was nearing its end. After he left the town again, he never went back. He still kept in contact with everyone, of course, but over time, the amount of time spent on such interaction dwindled as everyone got busier and busier. While it did make him feel a little lonely, Souji remembered Margaret's kind words to him, and managed to get by while keeping those words in mind.

Until he woke up at three in the morning of April 12, his sleep disturbed by a violent ringing in his head.

Five minutes after that, he received news through a message from an unknown number that Hisano had passed away.

He quickly dialled the number and learnt that it had been Hisano's son who contacted him.

"She often told me about you, Seta-kun," the unfamiliar voice spoke quietly and meekly. Souji heard sniffles in the background and felt shivers going down his spine. "She gave me this number a few days ago and kept reminding me to call you if she... I'm so sorry that our first conversation has to happen this way..."

Souji learnt that the funeral was to be held in Inaba.

Without hesitation, the eighteen-year-old packed some clothes and immediately left to catch the earliest train. At the station, he sent messages to his team mates, informing them about his sudden return, but received no reply back.

When he finally reached Inaba, he was welcomed by no one. He wandered into the shopping street, which was deserted and unusually quiet. Then he walked the way to the Dojima household, and found it to be empty. Leaving his bag of clothes at what used to be his room, Souji returned to the shopping street and headed towards the Tatsuhime Shrine.

So here he is now, surrounded by people he recognised as well as people who were complete strangers to him. The fox was nowhere to be seen; Souji figured that it didn't take sorrowful events all too well and had gone to reside somewhere else until the mourning period was over. Then he noticed that Yosuke had walked up to him, looking solemn and oddly melancholic, despite the fact that he didn't know who Hisano was.

"...We got your message, dude." And Souji understood.

The next few hours had been terrible, to say the least, but Souji was grateful for the comforting presence of his friends and family by his side. He managed to meet with Hisano's son and other relatives, who were willing to share information about Hisano's life with him. It made Souji feel strangely insignificant and inferior, for he had nothing else to give back in return, even though Hisano's family insisted that he had already done enough for her.

Most people would think that Hisano's death shouldn't have such a grave impact on him. After all, he didn't spend much time with her. It was strange for a young man like him to feel so strongly about the passing of an elderly widow whom he had no blood relation to and had only known for just a few fleeting moments of his life. If anything, people would expect him to only show a little bit of sympathy and sadness, like any other person would at the news of a stranger's death.

But Hisano wasn't just a stranger to him. Yes, Souji had only known her for a while, but the duration did not matter. It was what had happened in that seemingly brief moment that truly mattered. In those few days, Hisano had willingly poured out all her thoughts, all her feelings, allowing Souji a glimpse into the sorrowful, lonely woman hiding beneath the thin, black veil over her wrinkled face. She treated him kindly, and would sometimes pat him on the shoulder or his knee in an almost endearing manner as she told him her life story and he told her his.

Hisano was like a grandmother Souji never remembered having. While spending time with her, sometimes his thoughts would wander and he would instinctively compare her to his own grandmother, but he'd often find himself drawing a blank on how she even looked like in the first place, let alone how she was like as a person.

That, he supposed, was why it hurt to hear that a wonderful and caring lady like Hisano had passed away so suddenly.

"She said she wanted to buried along with Dad," Kuroda's child explained, trying to remain calm. "So we transferred her to the hospital here after we got approval from the doctors. We wanted to contact you then, but her condition suddenly took a turn for the worse, and right after that, she..."

Souji then requested for the man not to speak any further. Hisano's son thanked him for his understanding as he tried to hold back the tears, but just a few seconds later, he broke down. And he remained there, on that spot in front of his mother's photograph, crying his heart out.

* * *

It was evening before he knew it.

By then, his friends had already left for home.

Nanako and Dojima had offered to wait for him, but he told them to go back first, that he would return home soon. Nanako wrapped her arms around his waist and said nothing before she pulled away reluctantly and returned home. Souji felt something cold and wet trickling down his face once she left, and stared up to find an unusually dark and gloomy sky.

Then he left the shrine and made his way towards the Samegawa Flood Plain, ignoring the light showers of rain. He walked down the steps leading to the Samegawa River, then stood by the river bank, staring into the rippling waters.

_"I'm sure I don't have very long left in this world, but that isn't the case for you."_

Souji reached into his pocket and brought out an old fountain pen. It was black and beautifully coated with cherry blossom patterns. The paint was coming off, and it was getting harder to remove the cover, but to Souji, it looked and felt like the most marvellous pen he had ever owned.

_"You're carrying on my story now. I think I can keep smiling, to the end."_

The grey-haired adolescent curled his fingers around the pen, gripping it so tightly his fingers turned pale. He continued staring into the river waters, trying as hard as he could to block out the multitude of voices whispering in his head.

_"I think...I've had a good life."_

Souji returned to the Dojima residence later that night, drenched and completely soaked to the skin. He headed to his room, without giving the shower a second glance, and locked the door behind him. Then he sat by the desk on the floor, grabbed a piece of paper and removed the cap on the old fountain pen, and began to write.

He couldn't bring himself to write anything more than a "Thank you".

Souji turned in with his wet clothes on that night.

* * *

**April 13, 2013**

The voices had quietened down by the time Souji awoke the next morning, but hearing them still made him feel slightly ill, so he tried to force himself back to sleep. His plan was disrupted, however, when Nanako knocked on his door, asking about his well-being. He couldn't bring himself to lie to his younger cousin, so he told her that he needed a bit more time, and she understood.

Souji changed out of his clothes from the previous day, which had turned wrinkled from being soaked in rainwater, and put on a simple shirt and pants that he grabbed when he was in a rush to return to Inaba. He left the household after having breakfast together with Nanako, and walked around the peaceful town listlessly, holding up an opened umbrella when it turned out that it was still raining.

He had considered dropping by Junes to see how Yosuke was doing, but decided against it. He didn't want to impose on his good friend and disturb him when he was working, especially not after Yosuke had generously turned up for the funeral the day before. The same went for his other friends, who had taken the time out of their busy schedules to attend the wake of a stranger, just to show their support for him.

With no particular place in mind, Souji spent the morning in the shopping street while actively avoiding Tatsumi Textiles. He had found himself standing by the Moel gas station without him realising it, and once he did, he quickly walked away before a staff could approach him to ask if he was interested in a part-time job.

After that, Souji noticed a familiar eatery not too far away, and decided to head towards there. If there was a place he could go to without bumping into any of his friends or triggering any more memories of Hisano, it would be Aiya. At this time of the day, most of his friends would be working, and lunch break wasn't until a few hours later; Souji figured he could take this opportunity to take the Rainy Day Meat Bowl Challenge to while away the time.

Before he could step into Aiya, however, the adolescent felt his consciousness slowly slipping away. Feeling a sense of familiarity at the sensation, Souji took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and gave in.

When he next opened his eyes, he found himself in a familiar setting: an azure interior of a limousine that he came to know as the Velvet Room. Although he hadn't visited it in nearly over a year, he could tell that nothing in the room had changed; the wine glass and liquor were still where they were, the table with a blue tablecloth remained where it always was, and the lady with long, sandy blonde hair, dressed in blue from head to toe, was still sitting in her usual seat, her hands folded on the thick book in her lap. An old man with a hunched back and long nose sat behind the table next to the lady, his eyes closed while he had his chin on the back of his hands, with his elbows rested on the edge of the round table.

The woman turned to face him, her lips pulling into a thin, but warm, smile.

"It is so nice to see you again, dear guest."

Souji felt himself giving a nod back in response.

"Under normal circumstances, we should not be meeting you again in this manner. However, my master and I felt a shift in your subconscious last night, so we attempted to call you into this realm, but it appeared to have been in vain," Margaret explained, her voice carrying the same indifference and detachment Souji had grown used to. "Our condolences."

He figured that he must've had looked confused, as Margaret seemed to have noticed something and said, "Ah, yes, I believe my master and I have never explained to you. While we appear to be responsible for the management of the many Personas residing in your soul, our primary duty is to watch over you as a part of your subconscious. From the behaviour of your Personas, my master and I can detect any changes in your well-being. That is how we came to know of the news, dear guest."

She opened the book entitled Le Grimoire that was on her lap, stopping at a page that was printed with the picture of a card painted with a simple diagram of a skull. A similar card manifested before her, sparkling like a freshly polished diamond.

"The Death Arcana," Margaret murmured. Hearing the familiar term startled Souji a little, but he remained calm in spite of it. "Associated with change, renewal, and endings, the card symbolises a drastic change in your life. Though it may be a painful ordeal for you, it does not mean that it is the end of everything. Overcoming all obstacles, moving forward in spite of the grief you have experienced, growing stronger as a person...that is what the Death Arcana means."

The beautiful woman looked up from her book, giving Souji a warmer, slightly more sympathetic smile. "I believe that is a lesson you have learnt from her as well."

Souji casted his eyes downward, but said nothing.

"Though the time you spent with her was short, the bond that has been forged between you will always remain," Margaret continued, redirecting her golden eyes to the card floating before her. "Her appearance, words, and experience that she's shared with you...they will always reside within you as fond memories, as evidence of your bond. Even though she may have departed from your world, you will never lose your ties with her."

"Close your eyes, and listen carefully," Igor finally spoke, revealing bloodshot eyes as he stared at the grey-haired adolescent. "The voices of your Personas calling out to you... Can you hear them?"

Souji obeyed, and listened as intently as he could. Slowly, but surely, he could pick out the voices belonging to the Personas that had awakened within the depths of his soul when his relationship with Hisano was first established.

_"I am Death."_

Without realising it, Souji had taken a sharp breath at the first coherent sentence that echoed in his mind. Though the words were spoken by the Personas residing inside him, all Souji could hear was Hisano's voice.

_"...You mustn't become Death."_

He could see Hisano's image flashing before his eyes, her expression forlorn. Just like the time she told him those words.

_"When a person dies...the people who are left behind start to grieve, right?"_

It might have had been his imagination, but Souji could have sworn that he heard sorrowful murmurs coming from the Personas that were speaking to him.

_"If you don't know what you should hold dear, then your life is just a journey without a destination."_

Souji could imagine the horrible fog that once covered Inaba shrouding his vision and the limousine known as the Velvet Room driving towards nowhere.

"_Loving, being loved… All that is what goes into making us human."_

He remembered the late widow staring into the river, her eyes clouded with tears as she read through the letters to her husband once more.

"_Thank you…"_

Souji kept his eyes closed.

_'Ghoul... Mokoi... Matador... Samael...' _The names of the Personas whispering to him resonated in his mind. _'Mot... White Rider... Alice...and...'_

Then one name stood out above all the rest, its owner mumbling gently to him, repeating the words that Hisano once said to him before she left Inaba. Subconsciously, Souji had raised his arms, covering both of his ears as he focused all his attention on that Persona and just that Persona alone.

_'Mahakala...'_

"...Yes, I can hear them," Souji said softly, smiling. He opened his eyes to see the familiar tarot cards lying on the table, face-down.

Igor seemed pleased. "Do not forget what they are saying," he said as he flipped a card to reveal the Death Arcana in its upright position. "Remember their words, keep them close to your heart. They will aid you through this period of time."

"I will," the eighteen-year-old replied politely. "Thank you."

"Do not forget that we will be watching over you as well," Margaret added, flashing yet another kind smile at him. "We wish you the best of luck."

Souji smiled back, then closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he was standing on the pavement in the shopping street, facing the ethereal, blue door in the wall in front of him.

Then he turned and walked in the direction of Aiya, taking out his phone and sending a message to his friends while doing so.

Moments later, most of the Investigation Team could be found gorging themselves, having fun and laughing among themselves, just like old times.

* * *

"It's been hard on you," Dojima said sympathetically, placing a comforting hand on Souji's shoulder when the latter returned home. "You sure you don't want to stay for the night? You can always take the train back tomorrow morning..."

"Yes, well..." the eighteen-year-old began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't want to trouble you any further, I did come back without telling you in advance..."

His uncle frowned at his reply. "Who cares about that? I already told you, Souji, we're family. You're welcome to stay over as often and as long as you like. Nanako and I are happy to have you with us."

"But..."

"I'm not hearing any of that now. It's late anyway, and the weather forecast has predicted that there will be a thunderstorm approaching. It won't be safe for you. That settles it, alright?"

Souji gave in, smiling gently. "...Thank you, Oji-san."

Dojima smiled back. "Any time, Souji."

With that, the older man returned to his coffee and newspapers at the dinner table, while Souji walked up the staircase and entered his room. Though his initial intention had been to spend the next few minutes packing everything quickly, the change in plans allowed for more free time, so he decided to take out the piece of paper he had written on the previous night, sit at the table and continue writing.

He removed the cover of the old fountain pen Hisano gave to him, and began finishing his note to the late widow. After a few minutes, he was done. Satisfied, he placed the cover back on, and read through the words he had written in the best handwriting he could attempt.

Just as he was about to pack away the note into his bag, Souji felt his cell phone vibrating against the desk. He picked it up and checked the caller ID, laughing softly to himself while shaking his head, and answered the call. "What's up, Yosuke?"

"Dude, you were supposed to leave _tonight_ and you didn't even tell us when we were with you just now? What the hell is up with that?" Yosuke sounded livid. Souji's smile widened.

"I guess Oji-san contacted you."

"Damn right he did. Souji, seriously, I get what you're thinking, but hasn't it crossed your mind who we are to you? We're your friends, partner. Do you seriously think we care about all that?"

_'Doesn't that sound familiar now,' _Souji mused.

"Yosuke," the eighteen-year-old replied casually. "It's fine now. I'll only be leaving tomorrow morning."

There were sounds of someone shuffling his feet, making Souji wonder whether the brunet was out at the moment. "Yeah, I know. Your uncle told me over the phone. I'm just...calling to tell you off for not telling us in the first place."

"...I'm sorry."

"No, dude, don't apologise-argh, I didn't call to hear something like that from you." Yosuke paused then. Souji could just imagine the look of frustration painted on his partner's face; it made him chuckle, which didn't go unnoticed by the other person on the phone with him. "...You're trying to imagine my expression right now, aren't you? Very funny, partner. I must look like an idiot in your head."

Though the tone was sarcastic, Souji still couldn't stop himself from apologising, which earned him an exasperated sigh on the other end of the line.

"Anyway, what're you doing now, since you're not leaving tonight?"

"The same thing you're doing now," came the rather cheeky reply.

"The same-Dude, is it just me or did you grow a funny bone after moving back to the city?"

"People don't grow funny bones, Yosuke."

"Oh shuddup."

Souji laughed, and a few seconds later, he heard Yosuke joining him.

"Seriously, now..." Yosuke began again, taking deep breaths to calm himself down after the random bout of laughter. "How has life been, back in the city? All I know is that you studied at some prestigious high school and managed to pass the national examinations with flying colours. Awesome job, by the way."

Souji chuckled again. "Thanks. Well, it's been okay, I suppose...but it really isn't the same as living in Inaba."

"Heh, I thought so. Missed us that much, huh?"

"Yeah..."

There was the light shuffling again, which made Souji glance down from his window to see if a familiar brunet was standing there. Fortunately, he found nobody by the doorstep; if Yosuke had really been outside the Dojima residence all this while with a storm brewing, it would be Souji's turn to reprimand his friend instead.

Then, he finally heard Yosuke's voice again, after a pregnant pause. "I wonder if it'll be the same for me..."

Souji blinked. "Huh?"

"Ahh, well... How should I put this..." Souji now imagined Yosuke scratching the back of his head, trying to avoid his gaze. "By some sort of miracle, I got a good enough score on the national examinations, so I'm going to attend university in the city, too. I'm...leaving this town. Tomorrow. With you."

"Oh, wow... That's great, Yosuke!" he replied, a little more excitedly than he had expected. After remembering what his friend had mentioned earlier, he calmed down, and continued, gently, "Ah, but you sound worried. Afraid you'll miss Teddie and the others here?"

_'I know I did,'_ went unspoken, but it didn't need to be said.

"Sort of," Yosuke replied, sounding a bit uncomfortable with the situation. "I don't know if this is really what I want... I'm a little afraid to find out, to be honest."

"It'll all work out in the end," Souji said encouragingly, speaking from his own experience.

The brunet sighed. "I really hope so, dude. Wish you could still be there with me, though, but knowing you, you've probably gone and applied to a Medicine course in the University of Tokyo or something."

"Psychology, actually," Souji corrected. Then he laughed quietly. "And no, I didn't apply to the University of Tokyo."

"Huh, that's surprising. Why?"

"No particular reason, really. It's just that there's another university near where I live now, and it is affiliated with the high school I graduated from, so...why not?"

Yosuke laughed into the phone. "You are one weird dude, alright. Which university is it?"

"Raira University."

Immediately after Souji said that, he heard something shatter on the other end of the line.

* * *

The storm ended in the middle of the night.

With most of the city sound asleep despite the flashes of lightning and claps of thunder, barely anybody noticed when the thunderstorm was over.

For the same reason, nobody realised it when the city was enveloped in a thick fog once the storm ended.

As the hours would slowly tick by and the dawn of a new day approached, most of the people living in the city would still remain asleep, for the day was a Sunday, a day of rest for them.

Not for all, of course. There were a handful of people who would wake up at the crack of dawn, as usual, and brush their teeth and eat breakfast before heading out for a walk around the quiet town, which would soon undergo a transformation into a bustling, lively city within a few hours.

They would be undeterred by the mist, which would have yet to clear up even as the sun began to rise. While it was certainly unusual to have such dense fog, it was not an impediment to their daily morning exercise. It would still, as far as they knew then, be an ordinary Sunday morning.

But it would be another tale altogether for a particular man.

* * *

That night, Souji dreamt.


	3. April 14 2013, Morning

A/N: Thank you for reading Gameplay! Even if you don't review, I still appreciate the fact that there are people who actually take the time to read this, so...thank you!

* * *

**April 14, 2013**

Souji was dragged back to the waking world by a familiar ringtone. Groggily, he checked the time on his alarm clock, and moaned when he saw that it was only five in the morning. Turning over to lie down on his left side, the grey-haired adolescent reached to grab his vibrating cell phone on the table, and answered the call without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Yosuke...if this is your idea of a late April Fool's Day joke, I'm not laughing."

To his surprise, his reply came in the form of a feminine chuckle, as opposed to a groan from his friend as he initially expected. The embarrassing realisation caused him to snap out of his sleepiness entirely as he bolted upright, holding the phone tightly in his hand.

"I apologise for waking you up," the voice continued bemusedly. "As permanent residents of the Velvet Room, the concept of time is irrelevant to us, I'm afraid."

"Ah, no...it's fine, really. Is...there something you need to tell me?"

"Indeed there is." Margaret's tone became sharp and detached, setting Souji on edge. "I hope you recall the events that took place during your brief return last year."

The eighteen-year-old gave no verbal affirmation, but the blonde continued anyway, "While there has been minimal disturbance since then, my master has been seeking guidance from the cards in preparation for a similar occurrence. After our recent meeting with you yesterday, my master consulted the cards once again. Following that, he instructed me to pass you his findings."

Souji's grip on the phone tightened. He couldn't help but feel slightly more anxious after hearing what Margaret had said, and wondered if it was because of her indifferent, formal tone of voice, or if it was because his gut instinct was telling him that he wasn't about to like what he was about to hear.

In the end he decided that it was probably both, and left it at that. Paying closer attention to Margaret's words took precedence over the reason behind him feeling oddly unsettled, after all.

Taking his silence as her cue to continue, Margaret spoke, "The cards have foretold an imminent disaster about to strike as you depart from this place and return to where you came from. Or to be more precise...that unfortunate event has already happened."

Souji stiffened, but said nothing.

"You will face helplessness and despair," Igor's assistant went on to say. "At times, you may consider giving up out of desperation. But rest assured that there will always be hope, regardless of the circumstances you will be in. It will not mark the end of your journey, but rather strengthen and encourage you as your journey continues. That is what my master has to say."

"...I understand. Thank you, Margaret."

There was a slight pause before the blonde added, "Remember my words, as well as those of my master's, dear guest. Until next time, then."

Then the conversation ended.

Souji placed his cell phone back on the table, and checked the clock. Seeing that the call had been less than ten minutes long, the grey-haired adolescent decided to lie back down and take a quick nap. His train ride wasn't until three hours later, and he was already all packed and ready, so he figured that it wouldn't hurt to get some shut-eye until then.

However, Margaret's words kept him awake. Now that she had said all that she had been told to say, Souji was left alone with his own thoughts. The feeling of unease was still there, refusing to leave no matter how hard Souji tried to convince himself that things would turn out alright in the end. It made him consider the possibility that there was something else Margaret, and by extension Igor, wasn't telling him.

While the Velvet Room and its inhabitants were evidently shrouded in mystery, there was no denying the fact that they had played a pivotal role in solving the murders that happened two years back, even going as far as handing him an item that dispelled away the false image of Izanami to reveal the true horrors lurking beneath the shed skin.

Igor and Margaret had granted him the ability to summon and fuse multiple Personas, the lack of which would certainly have spelled death for not only himself, but also his friends whenever they were in a pinch during battle. Although he wasn't over-reliant on the Personas aside from Izanagi, Souji had to admit that there was only so much Izanagi could do, compared to the Personas of his friends, and the only way to make up for Izanagi's shortcomings was to use the other Personas he had at his disposal.

Despite all that, however, there was no denying that Igor and Margaret, as well as the Velvet Room itself, remained largely as an enigma to him, and for some reason, Souji didn't mind that. He never once expressed the desire to learn more; perhaps because he could trust them with his life, he never felt the need to know more than what he already did. Having the Velvet Room and Igor and Margaret's services readily available to him was enough.

So if it turned out that they really were hiding something from him, Souji wouldn't think much of it, since it was probably for the best if he was kept in the dark until they felt the need to tell him everything he needed to know. His friends would most likely disagree, though, after having had experienced the arduous journey of seeking the truth together with him. It was ironic, but he figured he could make an exception.

Still, the eighteen-year-old couldn't shake off the mild sense of dread. There was something waiting for him back in Ikebukuro, and intuition told him that it was most likely a repeat of what Inaba had to go through. The ominous feeling only intensified at that thought.

Grabbing his phone again, Souji quickly checked the online news for any recent strange occurrences in Ikebukuro, but all that came up were old articles about the Slasher incidents and the Headless Rider. Heaving a sigh of relief, he put his phone away and continued staring at the ceiling.

Memories of his first day arriving and setting down in Ikebukuro filled his mind. Souji remembered an encounter with a traffic policeman wearing a red scarf who warned him about the Headless Rider. The grey-haired adolescent had thanked the policeman, but a part of him was still feeling a little incredulous at the possibility of a headless yet living person existing in real life.

Then he was informed about the Slasher incidents and how they had caused a stir in the city about half a year prior to his arrival in Ikebukuro. It piqued Souji's interest to some extent, and Naoto's as well when she learned of it through her grandfather, so occasionally he sent some readings over for her to analyse and ponder over.

Incidentally, Naoto was assigned to the case not long after Souji's last visit to Inaba during his summer holiday, when there was yet another report of someone being slashed, so there were times when he would bump into her. But with the period of lending her assistance short-lived, she was soon going around the country solving cases before Souji even realised it.

Then, there was Raira Academy. It was quite a nice school, equipped with facilities that were certainly of higher quality than those at Yasogami High. However, Souji would still have chosen to complete his high school education at Inaba instead of Ikebukuro, if he had a say in the matter. While Raira Academy had its fair share of friendly teachers, somehow Souji missed Ms Sofue with rather interesting choice of fashion and Mr Hosoi with his hand puppet, among other things. There was even a small part of him that missed Ms Kashiwagi, just a little though.

Aside from school and Ikebukuro's mysteries, there were the colour gangs, too, but they had been so inactive that Souji questioned their current existence. Whatever they were, he wanted no part in the matter, so when he received a strange email containing a link and a password to the official website of what he presumed to be one of the colour gangs, he sent it to the trash folder without hesitation. The sender's email address was also unregistered in his contacts, further justifying his decision.

Occasionally Souji would also notice some misplaced and horribly damaged vending machines, stop signs, and other heavy-looking objects scattered around the city. He was told by some residents that it was all the work of one man named Heiwajima Shizuo, and they warned him to stay away from the man. If he had to be honest, though, Souji still couldn't quite wrap his mind around the fact that this Heiwajima-san could lift all of those things singlehandedly. After all, it was impossible, but then again Satonaka could achieve many unimaginable feats using her Galactic Punt, so Souji eventually shrugged it off.

All of this, and perhaps a little more, Souji had spilled it out to Yosuke over the phone the previous night.

The brunet sounded ecstatic after getting over his initial shock upon learning that Souji was attending the same university as he. Although they weren't taking the same course - Souji was mainly pursuing Psychology, while Yosuke applied for Statistics - simply being schoolmates again was enough for the both of them.

Souji would never forget the traces of euphoria in Yosuke's surprised cries of "Dudedudedude are you serious?!" when the grey-haired adolescent offered his best friend a place to stay in the form of his apartment. It was amusing, to say the least.

Just as his eyelids were beginning to droop after having lied back down on his futon for quite some time, his plan to take a quick nap fell through when he heard his alarm clock ring. He switched the alarm off, checking the time. Seven in the morning. The realisation made him raise an eyebrow.

Souji stood up and stretched. Then he headed for the bathroom, and completed the usual morning business. When he returned to his room, he sat between his bag and the table, reaching out to remove the note he had finished writing the previous night. After reading it through once more, Souji smiled and then folded the note gently before keeping it in a small compartment of his bag.

There was a knock on his door and a call for breakfast from Nanako that followed. Souji promptly went down the stairs, with Nanako's hand in his, and enjoyed his last meal at the Dojima household.

* * *

Chie, Yukiko, and Kanji were already waiting at the station when Souji arrived.

He was surprised to see Chie carrying a large travelling bag with her, and was about to ask about it until he remembered that the chestnut brown-haired adolescent had once told him, through the group chatroom, that she had been accepted by the National Police Academy in Tokyo. That would explain why there were two other strangers who shared some degree of similarity to Chie standing near them; they were most likely Satonaka's parents.

On the other hand, Yukiko was staying in Inaba, preparing to take over management of her family inn. While Amagi performed relatively well for her examinations, she had long decided to remain in her hometown, a decision she arrived at thanks to Souji for always being there to support her. College life outside of Inaba was something she once dreamed of having, but Yukiko was happy enough to be surrounded by people who loved her, so she had let go of that dream willingly.

Kanji, too, decided to stay in Inaba to help out at Tatsumi Textiles as well as take care of his elderly mother. Apparently, his dolls were a big hit, so he was quite tied up with his work at his mother's shop, coupled with heavy workload from school, and had little time to think about venturing beyond the quite little town.

Smiling warmly, Souji joined his friends and greeted them.

"Ah, Seta-kun! Good morning," Yukiko replied happily. He could tell that she was trying a little too hard to be cheerful, though, and wondered if it was because three of her closest friends were leaving on that day. "Are you all right? I know it hasn't been easy for you, coming all the way out here when university is starting soon..."

"I'm fine, thanks for the concern."

"Um...I don't know if it's appropriate for me to be asking this, but...who exactly...?"

"...Ah," Souji breathed, before smiling fondly at the faint memory of a widow, dressed in black from head to toe, resurfacing in his mind. "Kuroda Hisano-san. She used to live here with her husband, but after he passed away, she left to live with her children. I met her during my part-time work at the hospital."

"So you used to talk to her often, huh?" Chie asked, looking rather solemn. "Wait, did you say 'hospital'? Then..."

"...I never asked, but I guess so."

"That's so sad..." Yukiko spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It was a difficult period of time for her," Souji agreed, trying not to reveal too much out of respect for the late widow.

"Well, at least you were there, Senpai," Kanji added, hiding his grimace at the sound of hospitals and death. "Got someone to spill all her feelings to, y'know. S'not all that bad, then. I'm sure she was always happy to see ya."

The silver-haired adolescent laughed softly; Kanji had a knack for being uncannily astute at times. "Yeah, she was."

Before anyone else could say more, Yosuke and Teddie chose that very moment to turn up at the train station. There were two more strangers following them.

"Ah, see? Everyone's there already! Stupid bear, it's all your fault for waking up so late!" Yosuke exclaimed exasperatedly, dragging his luggage while aforementioned bear sat comfortably on it, as if he were riding a horse. "And get your lazy ass off! You're freakishly heavy!"

"Am not!" the blond retorted childishly, making a face which didn't seem humanly possible to make. "I don't weigh much, remember? That check-up Nao-chan arranged proves it. You just put in too much stuff in this box of yours, Yosuke."

"For the last time, it's not a box," the brunet sighed, shaking his head. "You know what? Forget it. You're too dumb to remember what I say."

Teddie pouted. "Yosuke's so mean today..."

"Don't be so hard on him, dear. It's not like he means it," the middle-aged lady walking behind the pair mediated.

"...Yeah. Yeah I know, Mom," the brunet sighed once again, while Teddie's eyes sparkled with tears of joy at the kindness that Yosuke's mother had shown him.

"Okay, your Mom and I will be discussing a few things with Dojima-san and Satonaka-san now. You can go and talk to your friends a bit. We won't be long," the manager of Junes said curtly, in a business-like manner.

His son waved him off lazily, then dragged his luggage and the blond on top of it as he trudged over to join the rest of the team. Chie had a mischievous grin plastered all over her face while the others remained relatively expressionless.

"Well now, look who's finally here. It's Hanamura I-don't-give-a-damn-about-university-but-I-got-in-anyway-and-now-I-don't-care-if-I'm-late Yosuke!"

Yosuke groaned. "Seriously, Satonaka?"

"'Seriously' my foot!" Chie suddenly snapped, giving the brunet a harsh kick to the stomach. It sent him collapsing to his knees as he rubbed the afflicted area. "What the heck were you doing?! Any longer, and you would have missed the train! Do you seriously _want_ to be late on your first day of university?'

"...What...the hell..." Hanamura gasped out in pain, clutching his stomach as he attempted, and failed, to push himself off the bitingly cold ground. "F-for the r-record, Satonaka...university only starts t-tomorrow... As long as Souji and I get there before then..."

"Yes, but don't you need time to settle down in the new area?" Yukiko asked before Chie could deal any more damage to the brunet grovelling at her feet.

At this point, Yosuke had recovered from the pain, somewhat, so he forced himself to stand. "Ugh, no need for that anyway. Souji, ouch, already told me everything I need to know about Ikebukuro. We'll settle in just fine. Right, partner?"

The answer to his question came in the form of a lighthearted shrug from the grey-haired adolescent.

"Woah, hang on. You mean you're gonna be attending the same university as Seta-kun?" Chie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ain't Senpai going to the University of Tokyo or some other top university or something?" Kanji turned to look at Souji as he spoke.

"Why does everybody think so highly of me?" Souji chuckled. "No, I'm going to Raira University."

"And I'm telling you, dude, I still can't get it through my head, no matter how many times I hear that," Yosuke muttered as he shook his head disbelievingly.

Teddie was beaming, for some strange reason, and making up a catchy little jingle about Raira on the spot. It took a few more exchanges between the other members of the Investigation Team before Yosuke finally snapped and demanded for the blond to stop singing. And as usual, it fell on deaf ears as Teddie continued entertaining himself, much to the brunet's chagrin.

Then there was a call from Yosuke's father, reminding the adolescents about the time. Teddie promptly stopped singing, and enthusiastically suggested a group hug.

"...Just this once," Chie agreed, grimacing at the thought of giving the other three males a gesture that she deemed as overly affectionate. Yukiko nodded, though sharing her best friend's reluctance.

The six of them formed a circle, then awkwardly cuddled together, wrapping their arms around each other. The clumsy hug lasted for a few seconds before Amagi mustered up the courage to say that it felt too long for her liking, and the group quickly separated from one another.

"The train is here," came a light, tenor voice. Chie thanked the heavens for her father's impeccable timing.

"...Well, I'll see you around, Yukiko," the police trainee murmured to her friend. reaching out to hold Yukiko's hands.

"...Take care, Chie."

The chestnut brown-haired teen nodded as she wiped the tears away from Yukiko's midnight black eyes. Then the raven-haired manager-in-training quickly tugged her trembling hands away from Chie's own and pulled her childhood friend into an embrace before Chie did the same. The girls quietly sobbed into each other's shoulder.

Watching such a tearful scene unfold before his eyes made Teddie weep. Without hesitation, the blond leapt into Yosuke's arms before the brunet could oppose, pushing him down to the ground.

"What the _hell_, Teddie-"

Hearing the muffled sniffles, Yosuke stopped himself. After a brief moment, he sighed and raised an arm to stroke the blond's back comfortingly. Souji knelt down and mimicked his partner's actions while Kanji scratched the back of his head, not knowing what to do.

"...C'mon, Teds, you're getting my shirt all wet."

"Yo-Yo-Yosukeeeee..." Teddie continued to sob into the brunet's chest, grabbing a fistful of Yosuke's orange shirt.

"It's not like we're not gonna see each other anymore. I'll come back to visit whenever there's a holiday, I promise."

"Sniff... First it was Sensei, then Rise-chan, and then it was Nao-chan, and now it's you and Chie-chan... You're all leaving Teddie alone..."

Souji couldn't help but flinch. "We're not leaving you alone, Teddie."

"Yeah, me an' Amagi-senpai will still be here," Kanji added assuringly, kneeling down to place a comforting hand on Teddie's shoulder. "You still have us. And everyone will be back before you know it! Trust me!"

Teddie glanced up to look at Kanji, revealing his tear-streaked face and running nose. "Kanjiiii...!" he cried as he pounced on the bespectacled adolescent.

"W-woah there, it's okay." Kanji didn't know what else to do so he settled for an awkward stroke on the weeping Shadow's back.

Yosuke got up from the ground, tidying himself. He was about to make a sarcastic statement about the condition his shirt was in when he heard his father calling out to him sternly, warning him about missing the train. So instead, the brunet sighed and grabbed the handle of his luggage.

"We gotta go, I guess," he said, using an indifferent tone to mask the turmoil of emotions he was currently experiencing.

Souji nodded, and turned to walk towards his uncle and cousin to bid them farewell before he boarded the train. Before he could say a word, Nanako had rushed in to cling onto his waist, burying her face into his shirt. Slightly surprised at the gesture, Souji could only run his hand through her chocolate brown hair, as soothingly as he could.

"I'll miss you, Onii-chan."

The statement was made quietly and carefully, with each and every word making a stab at Souji's heart, like always. His stroking motion paused, for just a split second, before it resumed, then the adolescent bent over to plant a light kiss on Nanako's head. Now it was the young girl's turn to be surprised, but she didn't mind it. Instead she buried her face into his shirt even more deeply than before, anxious to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"I'll miss you too," Souji whispered. "I'll try my best to take the time out to come visit, okay?"

He felt her nod, then smiled gently.

"Come on, Nanako. Souji needs to get onto the train now."

Reluctantly, the eight-year-old released her hold on her cousin's waist, taking a few steps back to her father. Souji's eyes met Dojima's, then the detective gave a brief nod and a wave. Souji nodded back.

"Seta-kun."

The grey-haired adolescent turned towards the voice, facing an evidently upset Yukiko. She had her eyes on the ground with her hands folded in front of her, looking exactly like a humble services lady, the kind that bowed and apologised repeatedly for the most minor of mistakes. In just that short moment, Souji thought Yukiko appeared so much more mature and graceful than at any other time he had known her.

"It feels so surreal to be saying goodbye to you again like this," the future manager of the Amagi Inn said softly, unable to peel her eyes away from the ground. "It's like you never really left all this time..."

"Amagi," Souji felt the need to cut her off, knowing that Yukiko was forcing herself to go through with the painful process of farewells. "We'll keep in touch. I promise."

Yukiko immediately glanced up, staring into her former classmate's warm, grey eyes. Then she nodded and mumbled a quiet "Un" as she looked away.

"Take care of Amagi and Teddie, Kanji."

The Third Year at Yasogami High gave Souji a confident smirk. "You can count on me, Senpai."

Souji smiled back before he turned and stepped into the train along with Yosuke and Chie. Slowly, the others present at the station, which included the Hanamuras and the Satonakas, as well as Dojima, Nanako, and the three members of the Investigation Team remaining in Inaba, gathered near the train. They waved and bid their farewells as the doors to the train closed.

Then they stood at the station, watching as the train departed into the distance, not moving until the train was completely out of sight.

* * *

On the train, Souji and Yosuke had taken up the window seats while Chie had decided to sit in front of the pair. The Bruce Lee fan was enjoying some martial arts videos in her smartphone, occasionally trying out some of the moves herself when the train attendants weren't noticing. Yosuke had his headphones on, lightly tapping his feet while listening to some rock music. Souji, on the other hand, was fast asleep.

There was a slight bump as the train continued on its journey, stirring the grey-haired adolescent awake. He rubbed his eyes and groaned a little, not too pleased to have his sleep disturbed since he was already sleep-deprived in the first place.

Souji decided to stare at the patch of mucus and tears that stained Yosuke's one of many orange v-neck shirts until his eyelids grew heavy, allowing him to drift into sleep once more. However, just as he was about to fall into a slumber, the eighteen-year-old saw something sticking out from one of the pockets of Yosuke's white coat, then he grinned and was wide awake once again.

He tapped his friend on the shoulder, causing Yosuke to jolt slightly before he paused his music and pushed the headphones down to let them rest on his neck. "What's up, partner?"

"You didn't have to be so mean to Teddie, you know," Souji said playfully, the grin still plastered on his face.

"Huh? Why are you bringing up Teddie for no reason?"

"Well, you miss him, right?"

Yosuke choked. "Yeah, right. As if I miss some stupid bear who always oversleeps, hogs the bathroom every morning, turns up late for his shifts, asks dumb questions...just being annoying in general."

Souji simply hummed.

"...Dude, I don't miss him."

"Really, now. Then I guess that Teddie doll you have there was a figment of my imagination."

"T-Teddie doll?" Yosuke gulped, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Ha, haha, yeah, you're imagining things, partner. There's no way I'd have something like a Teddie doll."

"Ooh, Hanamura's a liar," Chie added, joining in the conversation as she looked at her former classmates over the top of her seat. "You got Kanji-kun to make that doll for you. I overheard the two of you talking about it."

Souji chuckled at the sight of a flustered Yosuke. "What the-Satonaka, you eavesdropper! Don't you have any clue what privacy is?!" Chie just rolled her eyes at the accusation.

"So, not gonna deny about the doll, I see," Souji quipped, earning him yet another flush from the brunet.

"...Shut up," Yosuke muttered, placing his headphones back on.

Chie snickered. "And you haven't complained about having bear snot all over-"

"Seriously, guys, _shut up_."

Souji and Chie gave each other a hi-five.


	4. April 14 2013, Afternoon

A/N: ...This story is progressing far too slowly for my own liking. I'm really sorry if it seems awfully draggy, I tend to get really long-winded. Despite that, I still can't call this chapter filler, because it does raise some points that will be elaborated on in the later parts of the fic. I wonder if you can find them? Haha.

Once again, thank you all for reading and/or following and/or favouriting and/or reviewing this story!

* * *

**April 14, 2013**

The journey to Tokyo had been rather uneventful, aside from Souji and Chie's teasing of Yosuke and his Teddie doll. For the rest of the train ride, Yosuke listened to his music, taking a few quick naps in between. Once Chie had exhausted all of the videos she had on her phone, she performed some stretching exercises and stayed perfectly awake. In contrast, Souji was completely dead to the world as his body rested as much as possible.

When the train finally reached Tokyo, it was Chie's turn to bid her two former schoolmates farewell. They did the same, all three of them doing so reluctantly. Then, grabbing her large travelling bag, the chestnut brown-haired girl turned towards the opposite direction and began walking to catch the next train to Fuchushi, Asahi-cho. Souji and Yosuke took all their belongings and headed for the train that would take them to Ikebukuro.

Unlike the journey from Inaba to Tokyo, the ride to Ikebukuro was much shorter and quicker, so Souji and Yosuke didn't mind standing, even with all of their bulky luggage. The brunet then followed his grey-haired companion like a duckling would its mother out of the Tokyo Metro Line station and into the streets, feeling completely and utterly at a loss despite the fact that he was born and raised in a city like Souji was.

"My apartment isn't too far from here." Yosuke was extremely relieved to hear that, and quickly followed his friend as he made a left turn and started walking.

The brunet took this opportunity to have a closer look at his surroundings. Although it was rather late into the afternoon, the streets were still teeming with people from all walks of life, taking brisk steps wherever they went. Nobody paid attention to the pair of former high school students carrying around large bags and luggage, which was a stark contrast to how the townspeople of Inaba would react, as Yosuke envisioned it.

There were rather few vehicles out on the road, he realised. Despite Ikebukuro being an urbanised area, there was a lot of greenery around, just as Yosuke expected after having led a life as a Tokyo city boy once. As he continued looking around, he noticed some large shopping malls, and grew excited at seeing such large buildings that _weren't _Junes-affiliated again.

While he had been to Okina City at times, its vibrancy paled in comparison to that of highly developed places like Ikebukuro and Shibuya, the latter being Yosuke's former place of residence. He had probably dropped by Ikebukuro before, but inevitably, after having lived in a rural town like Inaba whose shopping district initially gravely disappointed the brunet for two years, Yosuke had grown used to seeing small buildings as opposed to the towering complexes that filled Ikebukuro. The experience was reinvigorating, he had to admit.

"We're here." Souji's tired voice interrupted Yosuke's train of thought. The grey-haired adolescent gestured to the elevator. "Remember to get off on the eighth floor from now on, that's where we live."

The brunet nodded enthusiastically as he shoved his luggage into the spacey lift when it arrived. Souji pressed the button for the eighth floor, then, seeing that there was nobody else coming in, pressed the button for closing the door. Upon reaching the eighth floor, Souji grabbed his keys from his pocket and opened the front door leading into his apartment.

It was quite spacey, even with the sofa, dining table, and plasma television set all placed in the living room. The kitchen was compact, but large enough for all the basic cooking tools and plates and bowls of varying sizes. The apartment only had two rooms, other than the living room and the kitchen. One of them had an interior that looked exactly like a replica of Souji's room back in Inaba, even the tiny television set was there. While the bookshelf contained reading material for the psychology course in university, among other books like novels and encyclopaedias, Yosuke could tell that the model was the same as the one Souji had in his room in the Dojima residence.

"...Souji, this is..."

"Oh." Souji rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "It was supposed to be a storeroom, but I didn't have much to store anyway and I didn't want to see this room go to waste, so..."

"Don't lie, dude. You're horrible at that." Yosuke's gaze was hard and questioning, making the grey-haired adolescent slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, it really _was_ a storeroom. I just changed the interior to make it look like my room in Oji-san's home." Yosuke didn't stop staring. Souji cringed and continued, "...because I really missed it."

The brunet's gaze softened instantly. "Yeah...I just wanted to hear you say it."

Souji's smile was warm and gentle. "I know. Thanks, Yosuke. I do feel better after admitting it."

"Everything's better after you admit something." As he said that, the brunet tossed his best friend a knowing wink. "So. Where's my room, partner?"

"Ah," the grey-haired adolescent mumbled. He turned to face the closed door directly opposite of his room and made a gesture to it using his thumb. "This is it. Oh, wait-"

His words fell on deaf ears as Yosuke happily barged into the room that now belonged to him. Then the brunet examined his new room carefully. He found that it was smaller than he initially expected, but it was still perfectly fine with him as he could still find some space to place a new bookshelf and a cabinet to store his music collection. There was already a single-sized bed, its horizontal left side embedded in the wall, placed. It wasn't fitted with a bedsheet just yet, exposing the mattress to the stale air in the room.

There was a simple study desk by the window; Yosuke didn't really pay attention to whether the design was to his liking since he never once considered himself a studying sort of person. The desk was empty, and looked relatively new, compared to the other furniture. It made the brunet wonder if Souji was actually half-expecting him to come and stay in the apartment.

"My parents recently bought that desk for me," Souji spoke up, folding his arms as he leaned against the edge of the wall casually. Yosuke flinched slightly, inwardly blaming himself for being too transparent. Souji smiled at that. "Luckily I didn't say no, otherwise you would have been stuck without a table."

Yosuke snorted. "Dude, you know that I don't study."

"Oh you don't? Well, okay, I'll call up my parents and tell them not to buy an extra bookshelf then."

"Waitwaitwait I meant that I _didn't_ study. Didn't. Not don't."

Souji's smirk widened. He had a vague idea of what Yosuke needed a bookshelf for, and he knew from spending a year in Inaba with him that Yosuke could be considered a rather frugal person as he had to save up in order to afford to buy himself a motorcycle. After the brunet was forced to pay for Teddie's expensive clothes and had to cough up the money to pay for his scooter's repairs, saving up became a necessity instead of a habit for Yosuke.

After putting two and two together, Souji deduced that even though Yosuke wanted a bookshelf, the latter had to refrain from overspending, and given that he was forced to pay for his own tuition fees, there was no doubt that Yosuke wouldn't fork out the cash to get himself a bookshelf. So if he could get it for free, there was no way Yosuke would turn that down. Based on his own experience as the leader of the Investigation Team, Souji could empathise with his partner to a certain extent.

Said brunet, however, hadn't the faintest idea of what Souji had experienced. While he marvelled at how skilful the leader of the team was with his finances, Yosuke never pondered about exactly how Souji could splurge on weapons and armour and still had enough money left to go shopping at the Shiroku Store. He simply took it as a personality trait of their leader's and left it at that.

"Though that reminds me..." Yosuke spoke up after the brief moment of silence, which the two spent reminiscing about the past. When Souji gave a quick nod, the brunet continued, "If you are getting your parents to buy an extra bookshelf, does that mean that they bought you all that stuff in your room? And wait, doesn't that also mean that they know somebody else is living with you?"

The grey-haired adolescent shrugged. "My parents don't question what I do. They believe I'm independent enough to make sound decisions, so no, they don't know that you're living together with me now."

"Wow," Yosuke whistled, his eyebrows raised. "If it were _my_ parents, they'd constantly worry about me. I mean, I'm not as responsible as you are. Dad always complains about how much of a spendthrift I can be."

That got Souji's full attention. "You, a spendthrift?" If anything, Yosuke was more of an overly frugal housewife, but of course, the grey-haired eighteen-year-old knew better than to say that in the presence of his partner.

"Hehe, I, uh, can get a little crazy when it comes to...you know, magazines and stuff like that?" Although the brunet sounded sheepish, he tossed his friend a knowing wink, perhaps in hopes of the other making some kind of follow-up.

Unfortunately for him, Souji looked unamused. "Magazines," he had deadpanned. "Yosuke, you sound like a girl."

It was extremely entertaining to see the brunet choke and get flustered over an honest comment. "W-what the...dude, I meant _that_ kind of magazines, not those fashion stuff girls like to go cooing over."

"Ohhh," Souji muttered, realising his mistake. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Huh, but haven't your parents already learned about the magazines you own? I don't think it's a good idea to keep buying them if there's a higher chance now that they could suspect you of spending on such...reading material."

"Ugh, don't remind me of that time. I still haven't quite forgiven Teddie for what he did," Yosuke moaned, wincing slightly. "Anyway, I think I can manage. They haven't mentioned the incident for a long time. Maybe they've forgotten about it already!"

The brunet's optimism made Souji chuckle. "Well, magazine maniac, I hope you haven't forgotten about lunch."

"Oh crap, I seriously forgot about that! H-hehe." Yosuke scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So, uh...whatcha got here that we can eat for lunch?"

"Nothing."

"...Huh?"

"We," Souji declared as he took the opportunity while Yosuke was stunned to grab his jacket and put it on. "Are eating out."

"You mean there's nothing we can eat here? Why? I mean...don't you always make your own bento for lunch every day? You gotta have _some_ ingredients in the fridge or something."

The incredulous look on Yosuke's face was, in Souji's opinion, extremely amusing; the brunet himself, however, found his partner's laugh that followed slightly offensive. "Oh hey, it's not like I knew beforehand if you had anything to cook with here," the brown-haired adolescent quickly explained.

"It's not that, Yosuke," Souji replied, smiling. "I do have some ingredients left, but they're definitely not enough to feed the two of us here, so I thought we might as well eat out and then we can go grocery shopping later. I already reserved us some seats at the restaurant."

"...Oh. Ohhhhh." The brunet shook his head to distract himself from the heat rising to his face in embarrassment. "You're always one step ahead, partner. I didn't even notice you making a call to make reservations."

"Ah, that happened along the way to my apartment. You seemed a little distracted, so maybe that's why," the grey-haired adolescent said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Yosuke gave a nervous chuckle. "Coming back to the big city is a bit overwhelming for me, I guess. I mean, I never thought I'd be coming back, since...there's not much left for me here."

The pause didn't go unnoticed, Yosuke knew that, so he was immensely grateful for Souji not saying anything further about the matter and switching to the subject of their meal at hand. It was certainly an urgent matter to handle; empty stomachs couldn't possibly wait any longer, after all, though if the leader of the Investigation Team hadn't mentioned it, Yosuke figured he probably wouldn't have felt any hunger till it was dinner time.

Their lunch was supposed to start soon, which got the pair - mostly Yosuke, actually - hurrying a little, grabbing some of their belongings and windbreakers as they prepared to leave the apartment. Although there would be little time left for them to unpack and get themselves geared up for the start of university when they would be back, Souji told Yosuke comfortingly that there was no need to rush, and that it would still be possible to make it, which did put the brunet at ease as he put on his shoes. He wasn't surprised to see his partner all ready after he was done.

The brunet took a deep breath. He used that moment as an attempt to calm himself down as he grew excited yet scared at the prospect of seeing the city once again; Yosuke didn't think he would feel so mentally unprepared to take in the sight of grand urbanisation despite having lived in a metropolis for most of his life. It was ironic, he realised. After all, how could a city boy be afraid of the city?

But that was exactly the situation Yosuke found himself in, and he had no idea how to crawl his way out. As he released the breath he had been holding, Yosuke faintly wondered if Souji was trapped in similar circumstances when he returned to Tokyo in March of the preceding year, and if he would know how to inch back into the life of a young adult living in a highly developed area. He made a mental note to himself to ask his partner over lunch.

Feeling ready to lay his eyes on Ikebukuro again, Yosuke stood up and gave Souji a firm nod. The grey-haired adolescent smiled and nodded back, before he got up as well and turned to open the front gate. At that very moment, the brunet heard something click, which Souji didn't appear to notice, so out of curiosity, Yosuke glanced around. It wasn't long before he found something lying on the floor tile, presumably the source of the clicking sound.

It was an old-looking pen, coated in midnight black with patterns of cherry blossoms dancing all over it. The tip of the pen was exposed and slightly stained with ivory ink, leading Yosuke to believe it to be a fountain pen that fell from a height. While staring at it confusedly, Yosuke bent down to pick up the pen. He felt its lightweight trickling his palm, like a leaf floating across the surface of water. It was quite an exquisite pen.

"Hey Souji, did you drop this?" Yosuke asked, holding up the pen between his index and middle finger on his right hand.

Souji craned his neck over his shoulder, taking a careful look at the object in Yosuke's hand, then turned completely to walk up towards the brunet to retrieve his item. "Thanks Yosuke, it must have fallen out of my pocket."

The brunet laughed. "Well, be careful with it from now on, partner. It looks like it's really important to you, if you are still keeping such an old fountain pen. Here ya go," he said cheerfully with a playful wink as he stretched out his hand to place the pen in Souji's open palm.

At the instant Yosuke's hand made contact with Souji's skin, a shiver trailed down the brunet's spine. In that split second, he also heard some violent ringing in his ears. Surprised, he immediately flinched away, as if he had felt static, and allowed the pen to drop onto Souji's palm safely instead. Yosuke's left hand instinctively reached out to rub the back of the right hand, even though his hand wasn't injured or sore.

The strange behaviour had Souji asking, "Hm? Yosuke, is something wrong?"

"It's...it's nothing," came the shaky reply. When the grey-haired adolescent casted him a doubtful look, Yosuke quickly said, "R-really! I just...felt some static, is all."

Souji kept his eyes on the brunet for a while, then he softly sighed and shrugged. "Well, if you say so...but when you're more comfortable with telling me the truth, please don't hesitate to do so, okay?"

_'Ouch,'_ Yosuke thought. _'I feel kinda bad, for some reason.'_

With that lingering in his mind, Yosuke verbally agreed with Souji to come clean with him when he felt he was ready. However, the brunet personally believed that it wouldn't be any time soon. For one, putting it in words was difficult. It wasn't that the strange sensation was hard to explain, but rather, Yosuke didn't want to put it across too directly lest he made Souji feel uncomfortable.

But the real reason was that he simply _couldn't_ possibly tell Souji. Secrets didn't exist long between the both of them, so it was normal for the leader of the Investigation Team to expect his best friend to reveal anything within a short period of time, but Yosuke felt that this would be different; that it was more of Souji the one keeping secrets rather than Yosuke himself.

After all, Souji never told anyone that he could constantly hear the voices of all his Personas. If it was something he didn't want the others to know, despite the fact that he knew that nobody would treat him differently, then Souji had to have an unquestionable reason for keeping this a secret, and within that quick moment of skin contact with Souji, Yosuke could see why.

It was a matter the two of them - no, all of them as a team - would eventually sit down to discuss for a long period of time, but it was something that wouldn't happen until a much later time, Yosuke decided. The first small step to take would be to ask his partner about the pen, before he could continue slowly encouraging him to step out of his shell and finally asking why touching it while also having direct contact with Souji would open a window into the voices in his head.

For now, Yosuke was hungry. The first thing on his to-do list? Chow down. And so he left the house with Souji, pushing all prior thoughts to the back of his head, to make his way to the place that would fill his stomach.

* * *

"...Uh, Souji? What is this?"

"Hm?" The grey-haired adolescent looked up from his tray. He glanced over the array of sushi on Yosuke's tray, which mirrored his own. It had sushi with raw beef that was literally dripping with fresh blood, another with live shrimps dipped in melted cheese, yet another topped with tomato cubes and squid ink, and many other kinds of strange-looking food.

Souji casted Yosuke a confused look. "What do you mean? It's obviously sushi, isn't it?"

The brunet cringed as he watched his best friend pop a suspicious piece of the so-called sushi into his mouth. "Sushi is supposed to... It's supposed to look _edible_, at the very least. This doesn't look anything close to that."

"Really? I think it looks fashionable."

"...Dude, I don't think looking fashionable has anything to do with whether you can eat it."

Souji chewed his sushi thoroughly before swallowing it. He had a blissful expression on his face. "It's really good, Yosuke. Just give it a try. I'm sure you'll love it."

"Somehow, I get the feeling that I can't trust you about this."

But of course, Yosuke couldn't bluntly reject his friend's kind offer, especially since Souji was already thoughtful enough to book reservations beforehand, on top of giving him a place to stay and buying all of the furniture he needed. So the brunet hesitantly picked up the rice with smoked salmon topped with melted blue cheese and cucumber slices, and placed it into his mouth whole.

The first bite made his eyes water and his tongue sting.

Yosuke spat the sushi out as eloquently as he could. "What the _hell_-urghhh," he managed to say, pain and misery evident in his tone. "H-how could you even stand eating this thing?! It's almost as bad as Mystery Food X, no wait, it's _worse _than that! Why are you able to swallow this crap?!"

"Well, I guess you could say that I'm used to the taste," Souji replied sheepishly, shrugging.

"Wait, so you're saying that you frequent this restaurant? Seriously, partner? How did you even survive your first time here?" Yosuke asked incredulously.

"Oh, I passed out after the first bite." The silver-haired adolescent deliberately paused to see Yosuke's stunned expression frozen in place, then he chuckled quietly. "It was kind of a blur, but I remember one of the staff here carrying me all the way to the hospital. He even paid for my medical fees. I came back here to show my gratitude, but the same thing keeps happening, so I keep coming back here."

"...So basically, you land yourself in the hospital, this staff compensates you, and you come back just to find yourself hospitalised again, only for the same person to pay for your medical bill, aaaand the entire cycle repeats itself." The brunet shook his head. "Souji, you are unbelievable. In every sense of the word."

"Ah, well, at least I'm able to stay conscious after eating their sushi now." The unbelievable youth smiled warmly. "Besides, it's really not so bad. True, their sushi might look...weird, but if you have it more often, you'll find that it's actually pretty good."

Yosuke grimaced at the idea of taking another bite of the Ikebukuro version of Mystery Food X. "Maybe some other time, partner. For now, I just want some normal sushi. Like, ooh, plain ol' tamago sounds good. Y'know what I mean?"

"Okay, okay," Souji said lightheartedly, raising both hands as if in defeat. "I'm sure they have the more common kinds of sushi here. Hang on."

While remaining seated, Souji pushed himself forward towards the door of the private room he and Yosuke were in, then slid the door open. He stuck his head out to get a quick glimpse of the rest of the restaurant's interior, only to find a handful of customers enjoying their sushi at the counter and the owner of the restaurant busily preparing more for a few other waiting customers.

"...Huh," the grey-haired adolescent muttered, sounding surprised. "Simon-san still isn't back from his delivery yet?"

"'Simon-san'?" Yosuke echoed. It took only a few seconds before the brunet continued, "Ohhh, you mean the Russian guy you told me about last night? So, is he the staff you just mentioned about? The one who kept paying your hospital bills?"

Souji nodded. "I told him over the phone that I have a friend coming over, and he sounded excited to be able to meet you... He even said that he'd try to finish up his delivery as soon as possible. I wonder if something happened..."

"Ahh, I wouldn't worry about him if I were you," the brunet said casually while fighting with his abomination of a sushi platter with his chopsticks. "I mean, we're talking about a guy who can literally lift you up and carry you all the way to the hospital. And even pay your fees, to boot. Sounds like he can take care of himself just fine."

"...Yeah, I guess you're right," Souji replied with a sigh of relief, then closed the door and slid over back to his seat. He watched the person sitting across him tackling the challenge of separating the rice from the raw fish and meat, and couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, you can just use your hands. It's much easier that way."

"And get all the goo on my fingers? No thanks." Yosuke winced as he imagined himself picking up the rice with hands that have been stained with blue cheese, squid ink, and other sauces all at once.

After a few more minutes of struggling, Yosuke gave up and somehow arrived at the conclusion that he would be better off eating the sushi, and rapidly downed everything on his tray. Souji calmly sipped his tea while his best friend suddenly turned death pale and collapsed to the ground.

It was a rather eventful lunch.

* * *

An hour passed before Yosuke regained consciousness.

"I am so not ordering that ever again..." he groaned as he stepped out of the restaurant, hunched over as he gripped his stomach with one hand. "You hear me, Souji? I am so _not_ ordering that aga-bleargh..."

"I heard you the first time, Yosuke," the grey-haired adolescent sighed. "Come on, place your other arm over my shoulder. I'll support you. You can't walk properly in your current condition."

"Ugh...thanks, partner."

The brunet took some time before he could muster the strength to drape his arm across his friend's shoulder, but once he did, he felt himself moving forward at a much more pleasurable pace. One that did not involve him crouching over in pain too frequently, or make him feel like he was going to empty his stomach on the streets, despite the cold spring breeze.

Although his vision was still slightly blur, Yosuke could make out the images of the skyscraper structures towering over the both of them, as well as the many cars on the road. The streets were teeming with people from all walks of life, engaged in different activities like listening to music or talking on their cell phones. It was almost stifling to have that many people surrounding him; Yosuke had to constantly remind himself of the life he led before moving to Inaba so that he could calm down.

He felt Souji shifting a little, and turned his head in confusion. It was then that he noticed that his partner was trying to lift himself, along with Yosuke, onto the scooter Souji inherited from his uncle, most likely to drive them back to the apartment. Yosuke started to panic again.

"H-hold on, Souji!" His yell caught the silver-haired adolescent's attention instantly. "I can cycle back to the apartment! It's no big deal, really! You don't have to carry me while riding your scooter back... B-besides, it's illegal to have two people on one scooter, remember?"

Yosuke saw the blank expression on Souji's face slowly turn into a frown. "It's not just that, Yosuke. I still need to do grocery shopping, remember? I can't possibly drag you with me when you're not feeling well, especially since it is my fault that you're like this now."

"Now don't go pushing all the blame to yourself, I'm the one who decided to be a hero and do something stupid," the brunet retorted. "Anyway I'm sure I'll be fine soon. I just need some fresh air and I'll be as good as new in no time! Trust me on that."

Seeing Yosuke's trademark wink again brought a smile to Souji's face. "Okay, then. We'll walk around for a while longer. Is there anywhere you want to go? I can take you there."

Yosuke's eyes sparkled, like stars dancing about in the pitch black sky. "Ooh, so you can be my personal tour guide? Well, now that you mention it, I've been wanting to-"

He was cut off when a large item of sorts landed right in front of their eyes.

The next thing they knew, it was lodged deep into the pavement, forming a ring of loose tiles and debris surrounding it. It all happened so quickly that the pair could barely even register the ear-piercing sound of the vending machine being crushed when it fell onto the ground. Their eyes widened at the sight.

Before either of them could say anything, a low-pitched yell reminiscent of a bull that saw red reverberated throughout the area.

"IIIIIIIZAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAA...!"

At that precise moment, a raven-haired young man manifested before Souji and Yosuke's eyes, the tails of his fur-trimmed coat brushing against their heads as he jumped over them merrily.

"Oh my, do excuse me," they heard him hum while he landed on top of the damaged vending machine, before he leapt to grab a nearby sign post. They stared in awe as the man swung himself around the pole and released his hold to glide over the crowd gracefully, then he melted away into the sea of people.

The pair remained silent when, just a few seconds later, a blond bartender dashed past them, shouting at the top of his voice while lifting a trash can over his head. It wasn't until he watched the man stop to fling the bulky object that Yosuke felt the bile rushing to his throat.

"Get back here so that I can beat you up, you damn flea!" the bartender bellowed as he uprooted the sign pole the other man had clung onto before. Then he was off to resume his chase.

The spectacle left Yosuke, whose back was being rubbed by a stunned Souji, whimpering.

"H...h-holy_ shit_, dude... Did you see that?!" the brunet finally spoke, but still unable to get over his evident shock. He didn't wait to see Souji nod and continued rambling, "H-he threw a freakin' _vending machine_, a-and a trash can and even pulled out a sign post like it was nothing! Who the hell is he?!"

Right after that, a dark-skinned man wearing a sushi chef outfit chose that moment to appear, running after the blond. He was carrying a large sling bag over his shoulder, and had his left hand on his hat to hold it in place while he sped through the crowd.

"Fighting no good! Come Russia Sushi! Sushi fill stomach! Eat good!" the sushi chef chanted in accentuated Japanese, his voice fading away as he dashed off into the distance. Yosuke gaped, staring wide-eyed after the towering figure.

"Okay...that was weird."

"...Ah." Souji blinked out of his stupor once the man disappeared. "Simon-san."

"Wait, what? _That's_ your benefactor?" Yosuke sputtered out in disbelief, turning to face his partner. "What's he doing chasing after a guy that's chasing another guy anyway?"

"I wonder," the silver-haired teen answered, nodding in agreement with his friend's question.

"...Please don't tell me you wanna find out."

Despite the fact that he could hear the shakiness in Yosuke's voice, Souji couldn't help but stare in the direction where Simon and the other two men took off to, then he turned to look at his scooter and Yosuke's bicycle parked near the pavement leading to the entrance of the sushi restaurant, appearing deep in thought. When a long moment of silence passed by, Souji finally shrugged.

"Let's just leave them be."

Yosuke heaved a sigh of relief.


	5. April 14 2013, Evening

**Warning: Mentions of a side character death**, but you won't know who the lucky person is in this chapter.

A/N: Oh yes, I think I forgot to mention - although I listed in the summary that this contains spoilers for the Drrr novels, the novel-only characters _do not appear_ in this fic. Reason being I'm not familiar with them, so I don't want to mess up their characterisation. But they may get mentions, or some events that happened in the novel may get referenced, too, so I put the spoilers warning just in case.

As usual, thank you to everyone who's reading/following/favouriting/reviewing this fic!

* * *

**April 14, 2013**

After the unexpected event that they witnessed outside Russia Sushi, Souji and Yosuke slowly made their way towards the nearest supermarket where Souji could do his grocery shopping for cooking ingredients that could last the pair for the next few days. The place they went to wasn't much different from Junes, Yosuke had to admit, but all supermarkets look similar to him anyway, so who was he to make comparisons? The only difference he had been able to spot was the pricing of certain items, though the deviation wasn't much anyway.

Souji took him to nearly every section available, and would always ask if there was a particular kind of meal he felt like having whenever they arrived at a new area. Trying to be as considerate as possible, Yosuke made the simple request that he would be happy to have anything as long as sushi wasn't involved, not for the following days, at least. Souji laughed but complied anyway.

"Nabe sounds good," the grey-haired adolescent suddenly suggested as he picked out the freshest vegetables he could find. When Yosuke looked slightly confused, Souji clarified, "Oh, I meant for tonight's dinner. I was thinking that nabe would be good for the chilly weather today."

The brunet gave a whistle, evidently impressed. "How'd you know what I was thinking? I was secretly hoping for that, actually."

They continued chatting excitedly about the day's dinner, with Souji leading the way around the supermarket and choosing the ingredients and Yosuke taking it upon himself to push the cart. As it was approaching evening, sales were ongoing as well, which worked well in both young men's favour since they had agreed to split the bill among themselves; in Yosuke's case, it was an opportunity for him to save, so he was very pleased to see the lowered prices of nearly everything Souji picked.

After paying for their purchase, Souji and Yosuke nodded back to the staff who bowed slightly and thanked them for visiting, then turned to leave the supermarket. Once they stepped out, they were greeted by the hustle and bustle of night city life. This made them realise how much time they had spent shopping, and so they hurried in placing the groceries in the basket of Yosuke's bicycle before they got ready to make their move back to their apartment.

It wasn't long until they heard sirens in the distance.

"Huh? Are we speeding or something?" Yosuke muttered under his breath, trying not to panic. He was cycling at a comparable pace with Souji, who was riding his scooter next to Yosuke.

While they were indeed in a rush to get back home in order to have their dinner, they were certain that they weren't exceeding the speed limit nor were they disobeying any traffic laws. Nonetheless, the intensity of the sirens' wailing grew by the second, so the pair decided to stop by a legal parking area just to be safe.

They waited for a brief moment, then a motorcycle dashed past them. Taken aback, Souji mildly flinched while Yosuke jumped. They gave each other a perplexed look, and the next thing they knew, they came face-to-face with a middle-aged man who was wearing a red muffler and leaning forward from his motorcycle.

"Hey, are you two high school students?"

Yosuke jumped again, this time out of surprise that a man who appeared from nowhere was striking up a conversation with them. Noticing Yosuke's response, Souji decided to take control of the situation.

"Ah, no, not exactly. We just graduated this year," he answered calmly.

The man clicked his tongue. "I see," he grunted. He paused for a moment, and then the man spoke again. "Listen kids, it's best if you stay away from the streets for tonight. If you were students attending a high school that's around here, I'd warn you about going to school tomorrow morning, but looks like I don't have to do that after all."

His words sent warning bells ringing in both Souji and Yosuke's minds. After a long year of investigations and battles back in Inaba, the pair knew when to trust their instincts since they had grown sensitive to hearing about certain things. The cautious tone that the man had used in speaking to them alone was enough in informing them that something grave had occurred.

Yosuke gulped. "Um, if you don't mind us asking...what happened, exactly?"

The man hesitated in giving an answer; for the next minute or so, he seemed to be arguing with himself, most likely considering about whether to reveal what appeared to be confidential information to two adolescents. Finally, he gave up. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you is classified, though it's all going to be broadcasted in tonight's news anyway so it doesn't hurt to tell you two now, I guess. But you're gonna have to agree to keep it a secret first."

"We promise," Souji replied readily.

The man nodded curtly. "Alright, then. Don't be too surprised to hear this...but my colleagues down at the station got a call not too long ago, about two men who were brawling it out on the street. Apparently, one of them later ran into an alley to escape the other, but in the end both of them wound up there...and that was where they found it."

"'It'...?" Souji echoed, prompting the older man to continue when he suddenly fell silent.

The man frowned, frustration evident in the sigh that followed. "A body."

Yosuke bristled upon hearing that, but said nothing despite the emotions swirling within him. Souji refrained from making any facial expressions in response to the man's words, to the best of his ability; it would do the both of them no good if the man were to pick up on anything that might seem out of the ordinary from them, after all.

Of course, it wasn't to both youths' knowledge that the man was a seasoned police officer, one who could easily take note of the most minute of detail when conversing with other people. Their reactions, therefore, didn't go unnoticed.

"You kids okay there?" he asked, though it wasn't out of concern for the pair.

"...Yeah, we're good," Yosuke sighed. "We're just...shocked to hear that." His grey-haired companion nodded silently.

"'Course you'd be," the man hummed to himself in slight disbelief, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Please do tell us more," Souji suddenly requested, trying not to let impatience get the better of him. It surprised the man a little, but he easily regained his composure when he realised that the pair hadn't heard what he just said.

Then, he shrugged. "I can't say much more, I'm afraid. You'll have to check the news tonight for more details."

"Please," the silver-haired adolescent insisted, casting the man an intense gaze unintentionally.

The traffic policeman pretended to ignore the look that the teen was giving him. "If you really must know," he sighed, giving in. "The body was found in a rather peculiar condition, apparently. My colleagues from the investigation division suspect it's a homicide, and the victim has been identified as a high school student, which is why I'm going around making sure that the students go home safely."

Yosuke clenched his fists tightly. "Did you just say 'homicide'...?"

"It's all just speculation, at the moment. But the victim did die of unnatural causes. It's only normal to label it as a homicide for now." The man clicked his tongue again, then continued, "Really, it's not safe for you to be wandering around right now. I don't care if you two are high school students or undergraduates, just be careful when you go out from now on, until the police is done investigating. Go on, go back home already."

Souji nodded. "Thank you for telling us, sir." The policeman simply waved him off and sped into the distance on his motorcycle.

Then, the pair turned to face each other, a grave expression painted on both of their faces. "I have a bad feeling about this," Yosuke started, eyes narrowing as he spoke.

"We can't jump to conclusions...but I do agree with you," Souji replied, remembering the conversation he had with Margaret over the phone that morning. "If this is similar to what happened in Inaba, we can't let our guard down."

"Yeah. I mean, who knows if there's some other so-called divine being like Izanami hanging out here and pulling the strings? If we're not careful, we'll risk having our world merge with the TV world again."

"We won't let that happen." The look on Souji's face was solemn and cold. Then, he sighed. "But it's still too early for us to make any valid conclusions. I haven't heard about any rumours concerning the Midnight Channel...and I've tried it myself once, just to make sure, but nothing appeared."

Yosuke thought hard about Souji's words, then suggested, "How about we go home and check the news first? If there _are_ any similarities to the serial murders back in Inaba, we'll hold a meeting with the others through the group chat before we make any decisions."

"That's fine with me," the grey-haired adolescent agreed. It was all Yosuke needed to hear, for he nodded back and then hopped onto the bicycle he borrowed from Souji, ready to put their temporary plan to action. Souji turned to give the night sky a glance, before he returned to his scooter.

The pair left the deserted street.

* * *

When Souji and Yosuke reached the apartment, the brunet did the first thing that had been on his mind before the grocery shopping, which was rush to the toilet and empty the contents of his stomach. It had coiled around itself after he consumed the unorthodox sushi, giving him pangs of pain that would give a girl having menstrual cramps a run for her money. Souji shook his head in amusement after hearing Yosuke describe his stomachache in such a manner.

Nevertheless, they still had their nabe, even though Yosuke ate his dinner while hunched over. Despite the uncomfortable position he was in, coupled with the aftermath of an intense vomiting session, the brunet claimed that the delicious dinner wiped all of his suffering away. It made Souji smile, and then he wondered if it was simply a deliberate attempt on Yosuke's part to cheer him up after their exchange with the policeman earlier that night.

While waiting for the news to be broadcasted, the two of them decided to start getting ready for their first day at university. After leaving the television in the living room on, they returned to their rooms to begin sorting their materials out and tidying up. Time passed by rather quickly, for it wasn't long before they heard the announcer make his usual greetings to welcome viewers to the day's events, beginning with global affairs.

"-And now for the local news." Souji and Yosuke were sitting next to each other on the sofa, listening intently. "A dead body was discovered in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo earlier this evening. Police have confirmed that the deceased died from unnatural causes and are labelling it as a homicide until further investigation reveals otherwise. The body was found hanging from a lamp post in an alley, and the deceased was pronounced dead by paramedics on-site.

"The deceased was a student enrolled in a local high school. Further details about the deceased will be kept confidential at the request of the deceased's relatives. An official warning from the authorities will be issued to all residents living in the area." The news broadcaster paused, then continued, "Now, moving on to-"

Souji got up and switched the television set off. "It's just like the murders in Inaba..." he murmured, but loud enough for Yosuke to hear. When he didn't get a reply, Souji shot his friend a questioning look. "Yosuke?"

The brunet was gripping onto the cushion beneath him so tightly Souji could see the tears in the leather, revealing the stuffing within the sofa. "Nothing's changed," Yosuke said, scowling. "Dammit, I thought we put an end to this, and now it's happening all over again. Were we misled into believing that it was all over this whole time? Nearly killing Namatame, capturing Adachi, defeating Izanami...weren't they enough?!"

"Calm down," Souji advised soothingly, sitting back in his seat next to the brunet and placing a conforming hand on his shoulder. "We still can't confirm if this is related to those murders. There are some key points that we're missing."

"...Okay." Yosuke took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Okay, y-you're right. Like the Midnight Channel and stuff...we haven't seen any of those yet."

Souji nodded, remembering the first time it rained through the night while living in Ikebukuro; he had stayed up to complete his homework when he heard the sound of the heavy rain pattering against his window. He recalled that he had glanced at the clock, out of reflex, and saw that it was approaching midnight. Perhaps to relive old memories, Souji had decided to stare into the television screen then, and was relieved to find that the screen remained blank.

Being a reflection of human thoughts, the Midnight Channel appeared differently to different individuals, but once someone was thrown into the TV world, what was shown would be the same for all viewers. It was this characteristic of the Midnight Channel that led to the Investigation Team relying on it to determine the next potential victim or if the victim had already entered the TV world and required rescuing. If this body that had turned up in the alley was indeed related to the Inaba serial murders, then there should have been talk of the appearance of the Midnight Channel the night before the corpse was discovered, at the very least.

Of course, people living in the city would most likely react differently than people living in the countryside would to the same phenomenon; in a place like Inaba where practically nothing happened everyday, something like the Midnight Channel would easily become the talk of the town, but for the residents of Ikebukuro, in particular, who had grown used to seeing the Headless Rider and bearing witness to the display of one Heiwajima Shizuo's inhuman strength, televisions coming to life on rainy nights would simply be an addition to all the peculiarities Ikebukuro had to offer.

Still, that was no reason to rule out the possibility that the Midnight Channel continued to exist, and if that was the case, then it would not be entirely wrong to link the discovery of the dead body to the serial murders. At this point, Souji decided, it would be best if they played it safe and search for information.

When he brought this up to Yosuke, the brunet agreed readily, but after a moment, he grimaced. "...Ugh, but we have to go to college tomorrow. It won't be easy getting anything about the body that showed up today since we'll practically have zero free time."

"But we need to try," the silver-haired adolescent replied encouragingly. "I can ask my juniors back in Raira Academy if they know anything about the victim. Raira Academy is also affiliated with the university we're in, so it shouldn't be a problem to drop by and ask the other students there."

Yosuke sighed, "I guess we could do that. It's better than nothing, at least."

"Yeah," Souji agreed. He picked up the remote control and turned the television set on, switching to the channel that displayed the weather forecast for the next seven days. "Looks like it'll rain on Tuesday... Maybe even through the night."

"All right, we'll need to gather as much information as we can until then. Hopefully we'll be able to find a lead."

"I'll contact the others now," Souji said as he walked over to the dining table where his laptop was. "They need to know about this. Naoto might be able to find something on her end, too."

"Oh yeah...! Hey, we should tell her to dig up more info on the victim. Like, the name, gender and which school the victim went to."

The leader of the Investigation Team frowned. "But if she's not one of the detectives in charge of the case, I don't think the others on the force would be willing to share that much with her..."

"Well, we can work on any amount of info she can give us, I guess." The brunet grabbed his smartphone and began tapping on the screen. "Anyway, let's just log in first and see who's online."

The pair focused on their respective devices, each of them quickly typing in their chatroom username as well as the password to the private chatroom that the team used. While messaging and calling using their cell phones were also normal ways for them to keep in touch, getting all eight of them together on the same page at the same time was a feat that neither text messages nor calls could achieve. On top of that, not everyone used a smartphone - incidentally, only Souji, Yosuke and Chie owned smartphones - so it was impossible to make use of the downloadable apps to gather the entire group.

That was why Naoto suggested using an online chatroom instead. With all of them having access to wireless networks wherever they were, it would be a convenient way for the team to remain in contact. The others thought that it was a great idea, and Yosuke got down to establishing the chatroom and customising its settings almost immediately after that. The Investigation Team had been using it ever since.

Of course, there were some...unforeseen circumstances.

"Dude, is someone trying to hack us _again_?"

Souji stared at the screen, watching as the same line in red font appeared over and over. It read: 'An unauthorised individual is attempting to log in.'

The silver-haired adolescent sighed. "Naoto must be typing her chatroom name and password in caps again."

"Ugh, seriously? I thought she finally got the hang of it after she gave poor Kanji a heart attack last spring," Yosuke groaned, shaking his head as he recalled the first time the whole team was using the chatroom. Tatsumi had mentioned something about offering everyone sewing lessons and the detective 'shouted' back that she was busy with work. It scared Kanji so badly he didn't dare to even look at Naoto for a week, let alone talk to her. Shirogane used that week to correct her typing, feeling responsible for Tatsumi's predicament. Souji hadn't left Inaba then, so he, too, remembered the incident clearly.

"Y'know, I've been wondering - how did she even log in back then, if she was using caps?"

"I think the other girls were with her," Souji replied, sending a text message to the detective to remind her to switch the caps lock off. "I remember Rise telling me that they gathered in Satonaka's room for some girls' meeting and they were teaching her how to log in using her phone while they were there."

"...They knew she had a texting problem and didn't do anything about it?"

The grey-haired adolescent thought about it for a while, and then he shrugged. At that moment, there was a beep coming from the speakers of his laptop, notifying him that someone had successfully logged in. Souji and Yosuke then directed their attention back to the group chatroom after hearing the sound.

* * *

**WE ARE S.S.I.D. - ONLINE HEADQUARTERS**

**Burning Petals is online  
Myriad Truths is online  
Youthful Wind is online**

**Shield of Justice has logged in**

_Shield of Justice_**  
**GOOD EVENING.

_Shield of Justice_**  
**I SINCERELY APOLOGISE FOR THE BLUNDER I MADE JUST NOW.

_Burning Petals_  
It's okay, Naoto-kun.

_Burning Petals_  
...Snrk.

_Youthful Wind_  
Who the hell types that in a chatroom?

_Youthful Wind_  
Wait r u Amagi?

_Burning Petals_  
Um, yes. Who is this...?

_Shield of Justice_  
I BELIEVE IT IS HANAMURA-SENPAI.

_Myriad Truths_  
Psst, Shield. Your caps.

_Shield of Justice_  
...I WILL CORRECT IT NOW. THANK YOU FOR INFORMING ME.

_Shield of Justice_  
AND PLZ DO NOT ADDRESS ME IN THAT MANNER, SENPAI.

**Shield of Justice has logged off**

_Youthful Wind_  
...Is she srsly gonna b k on her own?

_Burning Petals_  
By the way, Hanamura-kun, did you change your username?

_Youthful Wind_  
Course I did. My previous one was stupid. I mean, "Disco Ninja Frog"? （−＿−；）

_Burning Petals_  
But I liked it...

_Myriad Truths  
_I agree with Petals. Why did you change it? I thought it sounded hip...

_Youthful Wind  
_Dude it was ur idea, of course u'd defend it (#｀Д´)ﾉ

_Youthful Wind_  
Anyway that's not what we logged in for. Amagi do u noe if Satonaka n the others will b logging in 2nite?

_Burning Petals_  
Chie said she'll try her best to. Kanji-kun and Teddie should be logging in soon. I'm not sure about Rise-chan, though...

**Complete Analysis has logged in**

_Complete Analysis_  
oh senpai! ure on9 2day! aw i missed u

_Youthful Wind_  
...lemme guess. Rise? U changed ur username too?

_Complete Analysis_  
uh-huh! o((*^ ^*))o i feel that it fits me. heehee do u like it?

_Myriad Truths_  
Very hip.

_Complete Analysis_  
thanks, senpai~

_Youthful Wind_  
Stop encouraging her, Souji.

**Kamui Miracle has logged in**

_Kamui Miracle_  
sENSei! EverYONE! HI!

_Youthful Wind_  
I thot I tot u how to type properly!

_Kamui Miracle_  
ItS TOo haRd yOSuKe, giMmE tIme

**The Man's Way has logged in**

_The Man's Way_  
Yo, what's up? Did I miss out on a lot?

_Burning Petals_  
Oh, nothing much, Kanji-kun. We're just waiting for the others to log in.

_The Man's Way_  
Oh okay. So who else isn't here yet?

_Myriad Truths_  
We're still missing a dragon and a shield.

_The Man's Way_  
...huh?

**Shield of Justice has logged in**

_Shield of Justice  
_I apologise for the wait.

_The Man's Way_  
N...nah, s'cool. I just got here too.

_Youthful Wind  
_All right, so Satonaka's the only one not here yet. Shld we wait? Or...

_Shield of Justice_  
I believe we should begin now. We have a pressing matter to discuss.

_Youthful Wind_  
Oh u too? Souji n I have sth to share with u guys as well, maybe it's the same thing...

_Shield of Justice_  
If that is the case, then please go ahead, Senpai.

_Myriad Truths_  
Thank you, Shield.

_Myriad Truths_  
Well, it's just as what Frog said... There's something we need to settle, as a team. But first, I need all of you to stay calm. I don't think you're going to like what I'm about to tell you.

_Complete Analysis_  
its ok senpai, we can take it

_The Man's Way_  
Ain't nothing we can't handle.

_Youthful Wind_  
Dude don't call me that.

_Myriad Truths_  
Okay then. Frog and I were watching the news just now. The police over here have found a dead body...and the circumstances seem to coincide with the serial murders in Inaba...

_Burning Petals_  
...!

_Complete Analysis_  
no way!

_Kamui Miracle_  
Σ(Дﾟ;/)/…!?

_The Man's Way_  
What the hell?! Didn't we put an end to it last year?!

_Youthful Wind [Private Mode]_  
Stop calling me that already (# ﾟДﾟ)

_Shield of Justice_  
...Just as I thought. The news hasn't been broadcasted in Inaba yet. Though, Kujikawa-san? Aren't you living in Tokyo now?

_Complete Analysis_  
ive been 2 busy w/ work 2 noe abt whats going on lately... (へ＜) theyre rushing me 2 release my new album asap, i barely have any time 2 rest

_Kamui Miracle  
_AwW poOr rISeCHaN

_Shield of Justice_  
I see. That is unfortunate.

_Burning Petals_  
Um, so...can you confirm if it's related to the case in Inaba, Seta-kun?

_Myriad Truths_  
Not at the moment. We haven't noticed any fog, and the Midnight Channel doesn't show up either. But nothing's certain yet, so we'll need to investigate.

_The Man's Way_  
So that means you two are gonna be going around to ask for info, right?

_Myriad Truths_  
To be safe, yeah.

_Complete Analysis_  
what happened exactly? y did a dead body turn up like that there?

_Youthful Wind_  
We dunno all the details... And the cop that warned us abt going out didn't tell us much either. All we noe is that the victim was a high school student.

_Burning Petals_  
A high school student... That's so sad...

_Burning Petals_  
If Seta-kun and the others hadn't come to save me...that could have been me...

_Shield of Justice_  
...It could have been any of us, Senpai.

_Complete Analysis_  
its rly scary when u think abt it that way...

_The Man's Way_  
Hey, c'mon, what really matters is that we're alive now, right? I mean, yeah we nearly died and all, but we came out stronger, didn't we? That's gotta mean something.

_The Man's Way_  
So what we have to do now, is to get to the bottom of this and make sure it never happens again. Yeah?

_Burning Petals_  
...Kanji-kun...

_Complete Analysis_  
w...wow

_Shield of Justice_  
...You're absolutely right.

_Youthful Wind_  
C-c'mon, guys, let's not talk abt this anymore. What's over is over.

_Youthful Wind_  
Oh yeah, that reminds me. We've been meaning to ask u if u noe anything else abt the victim, Naoto. Like the school the victim went to, or the age or...anything, really.

_Shield of Justice_  
I'm afraid that I don't have anything substantial to offer, Senpai. Such information is confidential. However, once I have officially been accepted as a member of the team, I will be able to access the classified information, so please wait until then.

_Burning Petals_  
'A member of the team'?

_Youthful Wind_  
Huh? Wait so that means...

_Shield of Justice  
_I have been contacted by the Ikebukuro police force to lend my assistance to the team in charge of investigating this case. They have already identified the similarities that this case shares with the murders in Inaba, and are also aware of my experience with the latter, so they believed me to be a useful addition to the team.

_Shield of Justice_  
Of course, I have agreed. Now all that is left is the paperwork, and once that is complete, I will be heading to Ikebukuro to help with the case.

_Youthful Wind  
_That's...that's perfect, Naoto! Now we don't have to worry abt not having enough info!

_Burning Petals_  
But is it alright to share such information with normal people like us?

_Shield of Justice_  
True, it is against protocol, but if this is indeed linked to the serial murders, then it will be impossible for the police to crack the case. I am willing to take the risk if it means being able to apprehend the perpetrator.

_Myriad Truths_  
Understood. Just be careful, Shield.

_Shield of Justice_  
Um, please don't call me that, Senpai...

_Complete Analysis_  
ur so lucky naoto-kun, u get 2 c senpai n yosuke-senpai while im being worked 2 death here ( ≧Д≦)

_Kamui Miracle_  
iM sOooO jeALoUs of yoU nAoChaN I waNnA meEt seNseI anD yOSukE toO ｡･(つд`｡)･｡

_The Man's Way_  
Uh, guys, I don't think that's the point here. (ーー;)

**Dragon Hustle has logged in**

_Dragon Hustle_  
UGH FINALLY

_Dragon Hustle_  
Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late! It was sooo hard getting a connection you won't believe it!

_Dragon Hustle_  
So...what'd I miss?

* * *

He left right after the police recorded his statement at the station, exhausted and frustrated from continuously being asked questions about what he had witnessed that evening. Deciding to take a shortcut, the man made a turn into a quiet, deserted street, placing his hands into his pockets.

Initially, he had the intention to go shopping for ingredients for his dinner, but the supermarket nearby was already closed for the day, and there wasn't a convenience store in sight. Sighing, he grabbed his cigarette box and lighter, bit onto the end of a cigarette stick, and lit it. He took a deep breath with the cigarette between his teeth, keeping the box and the lighter at the same time, then removed the cigarette and exhaled, the smoke trailing from his lips.

Ignoring his hunger pangs, the blond leaned against a wall and continued smoking. It wasn't until the cigarette was nearly half gone that he started to make his way back home. Before he took a step, however, he heard a familiar cry in the distance, getting louder and louder with every passing second. Scratching the back of his head, he decided to remain where he was.

When the source of the sound appeared before him in the form of the Headless Rider and her motorcycle, he removed the cigarette again, and crushed whatever remained of the toxic stick.

"...Celty," the blond acknowledged. "What're you doing here?"

The Dullahan quickly typed a response onto the PDA that materialised from her sleeve. [I came to see how you're doing.]

Shizuo leaned forward, scrutinising every word on the screen, and gave a self-mocking smirk. "Nothing escapes you, huh," he mumbled under his breath.

Celty gave no indication of whether she had heard that, and simply erased the previous message on the screen to type out another. [Do you want to talk about it?]

Every fibre of his being screamed no, not after being stuck in a police station together with the person he hated the most for what seemed like an eternity and repeating what he had seen to policemen who probably had nothing better to do; he was sick of it all. Having the flea pestering him again that day was already infuriating enough, seeing a dead body made it worse. If he had a choice, Shizuo hoped that he would never talk about this day ever again.

But to Celty, to someone he regarded as a friend, such an option didn't exist.

"It'll probably take a long time, though..."

Her reply was typed out carefully and thoughtfully. [I don't mind. Take as long as you like. I'll always be here.]

The blond visibly relaxed, and then he smiled. "...Thanks."

-Because he knew that Celty would _listen_. And she was probably the only one in the world, other than his brother, who was willing to do that for someone like him.


	6. April 15 2013, Daytime

A/N: I made it in time for Shizuo's birthday! Happy birthday, Shizu-chan! ...Though sadly, this is a chapter that I really struggled with. B-but there's Shizuo in it, so at least it can still count for a birthday present, right? Ahaha but then again, I'm not being very kind to him in this chapter...

As always, thank you for favouriting/following/reviewing! Just the fact that there are people who are reading this makes me happy. :)

Edit (5/4/2013): Added in Vorona.

* * *

**April 15, 2013**

Souji, as expected, was the first to wake up. After he washed up and changed into a fresh set of clothes - which included a white long-sleeved turtleneck and a pair of plain, dark blue jeans - he made his way to the kitchen as quietly as possible. The silver-haired adolescent decided to prepare an exquisite breakfast, mostly out of guilt for ordering Yosuke a not-so-pleasant lunch, but also because he wanted to congratulate his friend for making it into the course he wanted. With that in mind, Souji began looking through the fridge for any suitable ingredients.

He was preparing the batter and bread when Yosuke, still dressed in his orange, white polka-dotted pyjamas, strolled into the kitchen, opened the fridge to grab an unsealed carton of milk, and slurped it up sleepily. Amused at the sight, Souji shook his head, chuckling to himself as he dipped the bread into the egg mixture and proceeded to cook it. The aroma of the French toast captivated the brunet who was still in the kitchen, distracting him from the milk carton in his hands and compelling him to move closer to his chef. He looked over Souji's shoulder and watched him prepare the meal, nearly drooling at how delicious it appeared.

Yosuke soon found himself gobbling down the toast as quickly as a bullet train; in fact, he was going so fast Souji was worried that he would choke, and the latter had to keep reminding him to eat more slowly. Still, seeing his best friend enjoy the breakfast he prepared to this extent more than pleased him.

They returned to their respective rooms to recheck their bags, making sure that everything they needed was accounted for. Souji was the first to get ready, since Yosuke needed time to change into proper clothes. The brunet, now wearing a pale pink v-neck shirt and brown jeans, apologised for holding them up when he exited his room. Then, the pair put on their jackets and shoes before they left the apartment together, ready for their first day at Raira University.

* * *

News of a dead body being found hanging from a lamp post, as disturbing as it sounded, didn't deter the many inhabitants of Ikebukuro who were filling up the streets as they hurried to work or school. Most of the men and women were on their phones, discussing business deals or other work-related matters as they walked briskly. Students could be found waiting at bus stops, or taking their usual ways to school.

Everyone was living their normal, daily lives, unaffected by what had transpired in the city just the night before. It was as if nothing had happened in the first place.

Though that was to be expected, Yosuke found it slightly frustrating. "I don't remember things being like this back when I was living in the city. I mean, sure, there are more important things to pay attention to, but the people here can't be _that_ apathetic."

"That's just how they are," Souji replied. "They talk about it for a day, and then the next they forget about it."

The brunet sighed. "Well, at least they aren't gossiping about it or saying bad things about the victim like the people in Inaba did."

Souji nodded silently as he remembered the situation in Inaba when the first two bodies were found. The death of Yamano Mayumi and the position of her body when it was discovered caused quite an uproar in the quiet town. Following that was Konishi Saki's death, which was met with both sorrow and contempt. While her family and Yosuke mourned for her passing, most of the townspeople as well as the student body, especially people from her cohort, sneered and talked behind her back. It was a horrible period of time for Yosuke, and seeing his friend so down made Souji feel upset too. In comparison to that, maybe it was better if people were more indifferent.

But of course, if it hadn't been for all the badmouthing, Yosuke wouldn't have had the opportunity to speak up for the senpai he cherished so much, and then he wouldn't have grown as a person. Then, perhaps, the truth was that there were people who despised Saki and didn't feel any remorse towards her passing and, to someone like Yosuke who liked her even though she didn't reciprocate his feelings, it was painful to hear all that and be constantly reminded of her death. But it was by facing that reality and deciding to do something about it that Yosuke could overcome his own weaknesses. When he thought of it that way, Souji decided that it was not an experience that was entirely bad.

Still, it didn't change the fact that nobody would want to be talked about in that way, so Souji could see where Yosuke was coming from.

"Anyway," the brunet's voice stopped Souji's train of thought. "since the victim was a high school student, there could be some commotion about it in the school the victim went to, so we might have some luck in finding the information we need when we head down to the high schools here in 'Bukuro."

"Don't you want to wait for Naoto to give us the information?"

"Well, we can't really tell when exactly the paperwork will be done, right? It's best if we get hold of something first." Yosuke shrugged.

"Hmm...I guess you're right. Ah, then that reminds me..." Souji trailed off, whipping out his cell phone to type out a message. A short moment later, he said, "Done. I hope my juniors at Raira Academy will reply me soon."

"Well, considering that it's a message from their favourite Senpai, I'm sure they will," Yosuke teased, winking at his best friend.

"They're not Rise, you know," the silver-haired adolescent chuckled. "I don't exactly have much of a presence in the school, actually. Since I transferred there as a Third Year student, I didn't get to know many people."

"Huh, really? I would have expected people to flock to you straight away..."

"Everyone was too busy preparing for the entrance examinations, I guess." Souji shrugged nonchalantly. "I knew more First and Second Years than Third Years back then. But it was only because the teachers recommended me to join the student council."

Yosuke gave a whistle, a piece of evidence that he was impressed and proud of his partner. "Still, that's pretty cool. I mean, the student council? You deserve it, man."

The pair continued chatting as they made their way to the university, with Souji revealing more bits and pieces of his life in Ikebukuro after leaving Inaba and Yosuke going more in-depth into things that happened Inaba during Souji's absence. Occasionally, they also reminisced about the year they spent together in the rural town, discussing about both the case as well as school life. They were so immersed in their conversation that they didn't even realise that they had passed by a certain blond ex-bartender, who was walking behind a dreadlocked man.

"You sure you don't wanna take today off, Shizuo? You're not looking too good..." Tom advised worriedly, his brows furrowed as he turned back to face his kouhai.

"Senpai is unwell?" enquired the blonde trailing behind Shizuo. Though she had spoken them out of consideration for his health, there was an evident lack of emotion in her words.

Shizuo gave her a soft smile. "Nah, I'm fine. Thanks, Vorona."

The female whom Shizuo referred to as Vorona kept her eyes on him. "…The words 'I'm fine' - most used lie. Possible motivation behind it is to hide real feelings from other people. Senpai is clearly unwell, yet Senpai said 'I'm fine'. A lie, I affirm."

"What she said, Shizuo."

"Really, I'm okay," Shizuo replied politely, keeping his hands in his pockets as he followed Tom. Then, he looked at the Russian following him, and added, "And that's not a lie."

His senior sighed. "If you say so... Just don't push yourself, alright? We have a long day ahead of us."

"Got it," the bodyguard said, slightly absentmindedly. He could faintly register Tom's concern for him, and part of him felt bad for not knowing how to react to that. On top of that, the blond knew that he should be more focused on his work to ensure that he didn't accidentally give his senpai trouble, but still, he couldn't help but think back to the previous night's talk with Celty. Shizuo hadn't intended to spill out everything he felt to the Dullahan at first, but the more he talked about the day's events, the more agitated he got.

It all started when he was having lunch with his senpai and kouhai, which he ordered from Russia Sushi. Halfway through the meal, he picked up on a familiar odour, and not long after, said odoriferous person was skipping along the street with a smug look on his face, as if he owned the world. Needless to say, it struck a nerve, and so the most eloquent response Shizuo could come up with was to pick up a vending machine and hurl it at the flea across the street.

Ignoring Simon's cries and Tom's exasperated sigh, the blond had begun chasing after the flea, who started running. His frustration continued building up as time passed and, after uprooting a sign post, he went after Izaya again. Neither of them seemed to take note of how much time had passed since the chase began; all Shizuo could remember was that he kept tossing things and missing, as usual. And it just served to piss him off more, as usual.

But when Izaya tried to escape by running into a dark alley and Shizuo followed after him, he knew, then, that something wasn't right. As he went further down the deserted route, he heard the louse knock into something; that, by itself, already struck him as odd because Izaya never moved around so carelessly like that. Part of him was reluctant to go on and wondering why he was suddenly so curious about the flea. The other part of him wanted to know if it was a trick, and if the flea was up to something.

In the end, Shizuo decided to go closer. He kept moving forward until he saw a faint light coming from the left, and then he made a turn there. It took only a few steps to get to the source of the light, which turned out to be Izaya's cell phone. When Shizuo was about to ask what the flea was doing, Izaya simply shone the light in his face and then directed his attention to what was above them.

It was a body, of all things, hanging from a lamp post. There was blood dripping from it, making a pool of blood on the ground. The skin had turned a sickly shade of bluish purple. What made it worse was that the eyes were wide open, but they looked like they had sunken into the head, so Shizuo could see-

He shook his head and quickly lit a cigarette. '_Stop thinking about it, dammit,_' Shizuo reprimanded himself, putting the cigarette to his lips. He didn't notice Tom turning back to cast him yet another worried glance and simply carried on smoking, even though he promised his senpai that he would try not to smoke during working hours. It had completely slipped past his mind, and Shizuo was too distracted to realise it, but Tom let it slide.

"...You can always confide in me, you know," the dreadlocked man muttered softly. He had said so, with the slightest bit of hope that Shizuo could hear him. But at the same time, he wanted Shizuo to come to him on his own accord, not because he was doing it for a senpai. After all, to Tom, the blond wasn't simply a junior he got to know from middle school.

As expected, Shizuo didn't hear him.

* * *

Lessons ended sooner than he had anticipated.

It wasn't as bad as Yosuke initially thought it would be, but still, the idea of studying and going to school was enough to make him worried that he wouldn't fit in. Going to college might have had been his own idea, but he didn't think that he would pass the entrance exams and land himself a place at Raira University.

While it wasn't a top university like the University of Tokyo was, it was prestigious enough for even people living in a backwater town like Inaba to know about. Neighbours congratulated him for his achievement; even people shopping at Junes who happened to see him would specially go up to him to offer their congratulations and praise. To them, Yosuke suddenly appeared as a confident and capable young man with a bright future, but the brunet knew he was anything but that.

All along, Yosuke believed that him getting into Raira had just been a fluke. The first day proved that. He couldn't really follow the lectures, although he did manage to take some notes, but after re-reading them, he realised that he couldn't understand what he had written, so they became worthless to him. Yosuke expected that, of course. It was the fact that he could even write anything at all that made the entire situation seem not so horrible.

When the last tutorial of the day was over, Yosuke quickly left the room after packing his study material to hurry to the main building's lobby, which was the meeting place that Souji had designated. His partner wasn't there when Yosuke reached, though. The brunet figured that since Psychology was technically a more demanding course, the duration of the lectures and tutorials were probably longer than those of Statistics.

Ten minutes later, Souji turned up. He apologised for being late, and explained that during the last tutorial, he had a peculiar professor, who wanted to get to know everyone in the tutorial group and used some interesting methods to engage the students. In the end, it turned out to be the professor's way of introducing the students to the module and getting them to understand how people behave to certain stimuli.

Yosuke gaped. Souji laughed when he saw that.

"Oh, right." The leader of the Investigation Team now looked more serious, and took out his phone. "I got a reply from one of my juniors. She said that she heard something about the case."

Yosuke regained his composure. "That means...the victim was a student at Raira Academy?"

"Most likely," Souji replied, nodding. "We'll need to head there and ask her ourselves, but it's still too early for school to end..."

They both checked their phones for the time. "Huh, shouldn't it still be lunch break by now?" Yosuke asked after he realised that it was only thirty minutes past noon.

Souji put his phone back into his pocket and shook his head. "Well, yes, but by the time we reach there, there'd be very little time left, so we won't be able to find out much."

The brunet sighed, slightly disappointed. "That sucks. So we have no choice but to wait, huh?"

"We can go have lunch, I guess. Though there might be a crowd at the cafeteria by now. Unless you want to-"

"No no no, we are _not_ going back there again," Yosuke retorted, cringing at the thought of the strange sushi that his partner relished.

Souji chuckled. "Okay, okay. The cafeteria it is, then."

As they began heading in the direction of the cafeteria, the pair shared other titbits of how their lectures or tutorials went for the day. Yosuke spilled out his self-doubt, and handed Souji the notes he had scribbled to prove his inability, but the silver-haired adolescent seemed more impressed than perplexed and assured his best friend that he was coping just fine. The brunet, slightly flushed from the compliment, tried to challenge that statement, but failed to think of a reasonable argument, and ended up thanking his partner instead. He quickly hid the notes away before changing the subject.

They were walking down the steps of the spiral staircase leading to the main building canteen when someone called out to Souji from behind them. The pair turned, and noticed an elderly man, who was dressed rather intelligently, standing at the top of the staircase and smiling as he waved at them.

"Ah, Professor," Souji acknowledged, before turning to face Yosuke. "That's the professor I was talking about earlier."

The brunet's eyes shone with understanding, then gestured to his friend to go meet with his teacher and that he would be fine waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Souji gave him an apologetic look while nodding back, and parted with his friend to walk back up the steps.

"Yes, Professor, were you looking for me?" Souji asked politely when he reached the top of the staircase where the elderly man was waiting.

The professor answered, "Hrm, I wouldn't say so. Just going around the campus for a walk, and then I saw you and found you familiar before I remembered that you're one of my students. So I called you just to make sure."

"I see," the silver-haired adolescent replied, smiling. "Then, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for the tutorial you conducted earlier. It was most enjoyable, and I have learned a lot from it."

"Haha! You're an odd one, Seta-kun," the elderly man commented as he stroked his chin, where a beard was beginning to grow. "It is our duty to pass down our knowledge to people of the younger generations like you. I'm just doing my job, nothing more than that."

Souji didn't quite know how to respond to that. It was strange enough for a university professor to call out to him when he clearly wasn't free, and having that same professor whom he had only known for about two hours or so call him 'odd' was even stranger, but Souji didn't want to seem rude in questioning the older man's way of socialising with his students, so in the end, he settled for a nod to acknowledge that he had paid attention to the professor's words.

"Well, I think we've kept your friend waiting long enough." The elder gave Souji a kind smile. "I'll see you in future tutorials, Seta-kun."

"Yes, thank you," the grey-haired adolescent replied. He bowed, and then he walked down the steps towards where Yosuke was waiting.

Watching the young man's back fading into the distance from above, the professor chuckled softly to himself. "Ah, yes, quite an oddity you are, Seta-kun. Reminds me of one of my former students, I must say. It does make me wonder how he's doing now, that Orihara-kun..."

Then, with another amused chuckle, he turned, and went back to his daily walk around the university.

* * *

To the awkward situation that Souji was in a hurry to escape from earlier, Yosuke had only one thing to say: "Dude, that is just creepy." And the pair decided to leave it at that.

Souji didn't want to think about how tutorials that were conducted by that professor would be like in the future, knowing that he would most likely be singled out to answer questions and become the subject of his professor's...rather quirky antics. If he hadn't already.

It wasn't that he felt unsafe in the older man's presence, but rather, Souji simply didn't know how to react to such unexpected gestures and comments.

The idea of someone calling out to him, just to find him odd in the end even though he had been acting perfectly normal? That bothered him more than he had expected.

"A-anyway, let's just focus on the case for now," Yosuke said, trying to sound as soothing as he could muster, even though he was just as unsettled himself.

Deciding that being hung up over what happened earlier wouldn't benefit him, Souji attempted to forget about it by listening to Yosuke's advice. He nodded stiffly. "You're right. That takes priority."

They took their time to finish up lunch before they left the campus to head towards Raira Academy, which wasn't too far away. At the security guard checkpoint, Souji explained that he was a former student who wanted to give a friend a tour around the school, and after they found his records, the guards let them pass. Since classes hadn't ended yet, Souji and Yosuke decided to wait by the council room and sent a message to his kouhai to notify her.

It wasn't long before Souji received a reply. The pair waited patiently, and sure enough, an apathetic-looking student appeared. She had her light brown hair tied up in two bushy ponytails, one on each side of her head, and was dressed in the proper school uniform. Her lips slowly curled into a tiny, but honest, smile upon seeing the familiar silver-haired adolescent standing in front of her.

"Seta-senpai, it's nice to see you again."

Her voice was soft, but because of the close distance between the two older teens and her, they could hear her clearly. Souji smiled back.

"Same here, Kamichika."

Yosuke, face slightly red, poked his companion in the shoulder and then leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Dude, what's with this girl here? She's super cute! Is she the junior you were talking about earlier on?"

"Ah, I forgot to introduce you," Souji said, nodding as an affirmation to Yosuke's question. "This is my friend I met back in Inaba. Hanamura Yosuke."

The girl, whom her senpai referred to as Kamichika, gave the brunet a courteous bow. The small smile was still evident on her face. Her gesture just made Yosuke more flustered than before.

"This is Kamichika Rio-san." The silver-haired adolescent tried not to give his friend a look of disapproval as he carried on with the introductions. "She was a Second Year student when I first arrived here. She helped me out a lot when I joined the student council."

Rio lightly shook her head. "No, it was Senpai who had been a great help to us. I didn't do anything special."

"You're being too modest, Kamichika," Souji commented lightheartedly. Then, his face fell. "Anyway, I'm sorry to ask you to come here right after class. I know it isn't convenient to do so, but we need to ask you some questions regarding the body that was found yesterday."

The smile was immediately wiped clean from Rio's features, whose shoulders sunk a little at the mention of the real reason why they were gathered there that day. "Oh...that's right."

Yosuke flinched upon noticing the Third Year's reaction. "Did...did you know the victim personally?"

"No," the student councillor answered quietly. "But, I think...someone in class 3A was dating that person. I heard that they started going out two years ago, and that they were a very loving couple."

The brunet casted his eyes downward. "...I see," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. Souji gave him a sympathetic look, but said nothing.

While Yosuke and Saki weren't dating, it was an undeniable fact that Yosuke harboured romantic feelings towards her, so it wasn't unusual for him to be devastated to hear of her death. Now, after hearing about two people who loved each other dearly but were eternally separated because one of them was killed, Yosuke couldn't help but feel upset for the one who was left behind.

...No, not just upset. Anger, frustration, sorrow-the same emotions that tormented him for months since Konishi-senpai's death were spiralling within him, like a tornado that wouldn't leave anything but destruction in its wake. Even though Yosuke had already accepted the fact that his senpai was gone, it still hurt to hear about something familiar happening to someone else.

Realising that he shouldn't be too bothered by these feelings at this time, Yosuke shook his head in an effort to distract himself, then asked, "Is there anything else you can tell us about the victim? Like, the name or gender?"

"Um, well..." Rio trailed off, taking a careful glance at her surroundings. "I think it'll be safer if we talk about this in the council room."

"Not a problem," Souji replied without a beat. He and Yosuke parted away from the council room door, allowing the Third Year student to enter the room first before they followed her in.

After Yosuke made sure to close and lock the door behind him, Rio nodded. "Yeah, we were told the student's particulars just this morning. The police talked to the principal and the teachers, and then the teachers passed down the information to the student councillors and the students from the class the victim was in."

"Huh? The principal didn't make an announcement to the rest of the student body?"

Kamichika shook her head, then directed her attention to Yosuke. "No, he didn't..." she answered his question. "The teachers think that it's because the less who know, the better. But they felt that they needed to inform the student's classmates and the councillors, at the very least."

"Most likely for damage control," Souji suggested. "If rumours about the victim begin to spread around the school, the councillors may be able to do something about it to prevent them from leaking out to the public. Though it's very risky."

"But why go to all the trouble? Just because the family of the victim doesn't want the public to know about the details?" Yosuke then brought a clenched fist to his forehead, appearing deep in thought. "And...doesn't it seem kinda redundant to keep a closed lid on information about the victim? I mean, even just a handful of people who know can just make use of social networks to spread the information and soon, the whole city will know. It's only a matter of time before the public knows who the victim is."

"They won't," Rio affirmed. "Because nobody would want to get into trouble."

"...And, uh, you're not afraid of that? I mean, wouldn't telling us about the victim get you into trouble?"

"We're away from the other students now, so it's okay." The student councillor smiled faintly. "Besides...if I can be of any use to Senpai and Hanamura-san, I'd be happy to help in any way possible."

Souji nodded. "Thank you, Kamichika. This is more than enough."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Yosuke mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his nose, looking rather pleased with what Rio had said.

The girl, whose face was a little flushed, looked away from the two undergraduates standing in front of her. "U-um, so..."

"Yes, please carry on," Souji requested, gently poking Yosuke's side with his elbow. Recognising it as a sign that the silver-haired adolescent was trying to tell him not to get too carried away, Yosuke nudged him back with the heel of his left foot.

"...The student who passed away..." Rio started, redirecting her attention to the pair. "I think you've heard about him too, Seta-senpai. It's Yagiri Seiji-san...from class 3A."

* * *

Yagiri Seiji, age 17. Born on June 13, 1995. Passed away on April 14, 2013. Only living biological family member known currently is his older sister, Yagiri Namie, who was previously the head of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals.

He was attending Raira Academy since the year 2011, and had a tendency to skip lessons and play truant. Teachers and students alike described him as strange, rude, and aloof. Few people in school knew him personally, which included his alleged girlfriend, Harima Mika, who was assigned to the same class as he throughout the years of his education at Raira Academy.

Yagiri Seiji was found dead on April 14, 2013. His body was discovered in an alley by two people - Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya - whose purposes for being in such a remote place are currently ambiguous. Allegedly it was a Russian man named Semyon Brezhnev who called the police, and all three men were taken to the station to record their statements. Forensic pathologists sent to the site confirmed that the deceased had died of unnatural causes, with a time of death at exactly 12.01 in the morning.

A more detailed examination revealed that there were no signs of struggle found on Yagiri Seiji's body, neither were there any fatal wounds nor lethal poisons or harmful chemicals detected. The coroner had also confirmed that the deceased's vital organs were perfectly functional, so it was impossible for the cause of death to be sudden organ failure. The possibility of suicide, too, was eliminated as the deceased expressed no suicidal tendencies, according to Harima Mika's statement. Further investigation will be needed to confirm the cause of death.

But the fifth in the Shirogane line of detectives knew that it would be a fruitless search.

* * *

A man in his twenties found himself alone in his apartment that day.

He had slept in - a rare occurrence by itself - and woke up to find no breakfast or lunch prepared for him, which was yet another unusual sight. But it wasn't unexpected.

When he noticed the envelope placed on his work desk, he simply smiled, and walked over to sit in his swivel chair. While waiting for his computer to finish loading, the man reached out from his chair to take the envelope, feeling its contents with his fingers. Instinctively, he turned to face one of his many bookshelves on the second floor, eyes landing on the empty space between the books of the topmost shelf.

Seemingly amused, the man placed the envelope down onto the table. Then he rested his chin on the back of both of his hands, staring at the screen intently.

"...Really, Namie, you're such a despicable woman," he muttered. "But that's just what makes humans like you so fascinating to watch. Wouldn't you agree?"

Silence answered him.

Izaya's smirk widened.


	7. April 15 2013, Daytime to Evening

A/N: I've made some minor changes to some of the previous chapters, the main one being the shift from the term 'Mayonaka TV' to 'Midnight Channel'. As one reviewer kindly pointed out, seeing the term 'Mayonaka TV' is indeed rather strange, and after re-reading, I realise that 'Midnight Channel' makes the dialogue and sentences flow better than 'Mayonaka TV'. Thank you, **9tail-Naruto**, for pointing it out! :)

...Gosh, this chapter. It was fun to write, but...man, I rewrote some parts so many times I lost count...

As usual, a big thank you to everyone who is reading/has favourited/followed/reviewed this fic!

* * *

**April 15, 2013**

"...So you knew the victim, huh?" Yosuke asked, a little melancholically, after he and Souji thanked Kamichika for answering all of their queries and the girl left for home.

"Well, not exactly." Souji shrugged. "Apparently, he nearly quit school to look for a girlfriend."

The brunet shot him a look of disbelief. "...That, uh, sounds a little too extreme. Are you sure you heard it correctly?" But then again, he realised, it was Souji. Souji rarely makes any mistakes, and when he does, he's quick and brave enough to admit them. Though he does have a tendency to be a little dense, which is rather amusing.

In response to Yosuke's question, the silver-haired adolescent hummed, suddenly appearing as though he were contemplating something. "Maybe something got messed up when more people spread the rumours. Like how the original rumour of the Midnight Channel got more unbelievable as time passed and more people in Inaba learnt about it."

"Huh, well that does make sense. After all, rumours always get too far-fetched in the end." The brunet then noticed that they were going slightly off-track and shook his head. "Anyway, let's get going. If we don't hurry, all of the students from Class 3A are gonna leave school."

"Ah...right." Souji nodded. "Come on, I know the quickest way there."

Using the nearest staircase, the pair rushed to the floor directly below them and past some rooms before arriving at their destination, which was right in the corner at the end of the line of the many Third Year classrooms.

They peered into the interior, noticing only two students - a male and a female - who remained in the classroom, performing their clean-up duty. The male student had raven black hair and aqua blue eyes, and was sweeping the floor while the bespectacled copper brown-eyed female student, whose black hair reached her chin, was wiping the black board. The classroom was enveloped in awkward silence.

The moment Yosuke landed his eyes on the girl, he couldn't help but blush. Then he tugged at Souji's arm, dragging him away from the classroom without giving Souji time to respond. The brunet leaned forward and whispered excitedly, "Dude, what the hell is with this school? Why are there so many cute girls here?!"

"Calm do-"

"More importantly, why didn't you tell me about this? And how have you not hit on anyone yet? If I were you I would have tried striking up a conversation with-"

"Yosuke, please calm down..." The silver-haired adolescent was sighing and shaking his head in exasperation, unable to keep up with his friend's energy; whenever Yosuke was like this, Souji often found himself being worn out sooner than he expected.

"O-oh, sorry partner," the brunet replied, sounding a little bit more composed. "But seriously, that girl over there? Don't you think a figure like that is...y'know, a little unfair?" Yosuke's face turned a deeper shade of red as he continued.

In response, Souji simply shrugged, knowing that if he were to add on anything onto the conversation, he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"Man, her boyfriend must be one lucky guy," Yosuke added with a tinge of envy and disappointment. Then, as if he had been struck by a Ziodyne, he jumped backwards, eyes widening. "Oh...oh crap, what if she's Yagiri's...?"

His grey-haired companion was quick to answer, "Don't worry. I doubt Yagiri's girlfriend turned up in school today. It would be too hard on her."

Yosuke visibly relaxed. "Y-yeah, you're right. Gave myself a bit of a scare there, I guess."

Souji seemed relieved that Yosuke appeared to be fine. "Anyway, let's go," he said, reminding his friend of their purpose in being there. The brunet nodded back.

They returned to the entrance of the classroom, and were not disappointed to see that the two students from before were still there, now wiping the desks and chairs. The two undergraduates glanced at each other before giving one another a brief nod. Yosuke cleared his throat, and then he knocked onto the door and slid it open very slightly.

"Uh, excuse me? Could we ask you something?" asked the brunet, who tried to sound as polite as possible, standing near the narrow opening between the door and the wall.

"O-oh, okay!" A timid voice, which clearly belonged to a young boy, answered. It wasn't long before the door was completely open, revealing the raven-haired male student who was holding a wet cloth in his left hand. "Um...may I ask who this is?"

"You can call me Hanamura. This guy here is Seta. He used to be a student here." Souji gave the boy a nod as an indication.

"Oh, I see. Um, I'm Ryuugamine Mikado. It's nice to meet you, Hanamura-san, Seta-senpai," the boy, Mikado, said as he bowed respectfully.

Souji placed his index finger against his chin, appearing deep in thought. "...Air-conditioner..."

"E-eh?" Mikado gave a little jolt at the silver-haired adolescent's comment.

"Ahaha, don't mind what he said. He's always like that," Yosuke laughed as he brushed it off with a wave of his hand.

His partner could only rub the back of his head sheepishly, not knowing whether he should apologise for the seemingly rude remark, or comfort the poor boy who had gone terribly stiff.

"...You know, you, uh, can get up now." It was really awkward to see someone hunched over in front of him for so long, Yosuke decided.

"Oh, that's right, I'm sorry."

After Mikado returned to his upright position, Souji took the opportunity to offer a quick but sincere apology, before he initiated the questioning, "Well, as Yosuke said earlier, we're here to ask you about something. We heard from someone that a classmate of yours was involved in the homicide reported yesterday, and so we were wondering if you know anything about it."

At the sound of the word 'homicide', both Raira Academy students in the room flinched, but while the boy's reaction was more obvious, the female recovered quickly and was back to wiping the tables before Souji and Yosuke noticed. The latter quickly added, "Oh but, if you don't want to talk about it, then..."

Mikado shook his head. "It's alright. Please go ahead."

"Well...okay then." Yosuke scratched his head, wondering how he should phrase his questions such that they didn't make the situation any more uncomfortable for the younger male and his classmate. "Did you notice anything strange with Yagiri before the, uh, incident? Like...was he acting different from his usual self?"

"Not...really." The Third Year sounded a little unsure. "I don't really know him that well, so..."

"Wait," the brunet said without thinking. "Did he go missing? Or, more like, did you hear anything about him going missing?"

"Mm…no, I don't think so…" Ryuugamine replied, tilting his head to the side slightly. Whether it was done intentionally or not, only he himself knew. Regardless, it lowered Hanamura's guard, while Seta's face carried no emotion.

The grey-haired undergraduate chose to ask about something else, deciding that he and Yosuke had gathered sufficient information concerning the victim.

"Then, have you heard about any unusual rumours lately?" Souji began vaguely.

Mikado fidgeted. "Um, 'unusual', as in...?"

"We know about the Headless Rider," Yosuke elaborated. "And things like the Slasher making a reappearance."

For some reason, the two Raira students froze again, but the both of them regained their composure swiftly. Still, it did not escape Souji's eyes, though the leader of the Investigation Team decided against asking them about it; he didn't want them to think that he was prying too much and invading their privacy.

Yosuke seemed to have caught his drift. "To be more specific, we were wondering if you've heard a rumour concerning television sets on rainy nights."

Mikado nearly heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, well, no."

"I see..." Souji refrained from frowning as he gathered all the facts in his mind.

While it was true that the body of Yagiri Seiji was found in a similar condition as those in the Inaba serial murders, that was the only similarity that they shared. There were no reports of the victim going missing prior to his death, for instance. And just as what Ryuugamine and Kamichika had both told him, there didn't seem to be anyone who knew about the Midnight Channel, so it was unlikely for Yagiri to have appeared on the programme.

In the end, were he and Yosuke simply overthinking things? Could it have been a copycat killer like Kubo, after all?

Of course, the testimonies of only two people wouldn't be sufficient in order to arrive at a conclusion, especially since they were Third Year students; they'd rather pay more attention to their studies than to rumours floating around the city, so there still was no way of telling whether the Midnight Channel existed other than to try it out and see for himself.

Then, there was also something else that they hadn't asked about yet...

"...Fog," Souji mumbled under his breath absentmindedly. He then spoke in a louder voice, "Was there any fog yesterday?"

Yosuke drew a sharp breath, realising that he, too, had completely forgotten about that particular key area that tied all the potential victims to the serial murders in Inaba.

Mikado rubbed the back of his neck. "Well...it did get a little foggy in the morning..."

"The morning?" Yosuke echoed. "I see... No wonder we never noticed any fog yesterday," he said, turning to look at Souji who nodded back in agreement.

"So there's only one thing left to do, then," the brunet asserted, before he faced Mikado again. "Thanks, Ryuugamine. You've been a great help."

The Third Year scratched his cheek and chuckled nervously.

"Oh, and sorry for disturbing!" Yosuke raised his voice a little as he winked, his statement obviously aimed at the other student in the classroom who had been strangely quiet throughout the entire conversation. The girl simply tossed him a neutral glance, and then she paid no more attention to him. Noticing the detachment in her reaction, Souji cleared his throat and poked his companion's arm with a finger. Yosuke merely scratched it like he would an itch, completely oblivious to his partner's hint.

The pair thanked Mikado once again, and then they turned with the intention to leave the school and head for home. From where he was standing, the raven-haired boy could hear them murmuring, but couldn't pick out any precise words or phrases from their conversation. He turned slightly, just enough to steal a glance at his classmate.

He noticed the faint look of fear that flashed across Sonohara-san's features before she continued her clean-up duty diligently and silently.

Mikado frowned, then turned back to watch as the two undergraduates disappeared down the stairs, rubbing the wet cloth in his hand gingerly.

* * *

"...The body was found draped over a public lamp post," Naoto murmured to herself, looking over the files containing her copy of the confidential documents detailing the homicide. "According to Orihara-san's statement, he had knocked into the lamp post while passing through the alley, and following that, he felt something drip onto him. When he used the light coming from his phone, he realised that it had been blood, and that was when Orihara-san found the body.

"Tall buildings surround the alley, making it narrow and difficult to walk through, so not many people would wander into it. Moreover, the buildings hid the lamp post from view, so it wouldn't be wrong to conclude that if Orihara-san and Heiwajima-san weren't there, the body would never be discovered..."

'_-In other words, we got lucky._'

Naoto sighed, and closed the file.

"It's just like before..." she whispered, frowning. "The victims died from causes that are not of this world, and were discovered hanging from objects of certain height. Passers-by also mentioned a fog that set in during the morning, but it was gone not long after, which would explain why Senpai and Hanamura-senpai didn't notice any fog. Furthermore, Harima Mika said in her statement that Yagiri Seiji had gone missing a few hours before his death, yet another similarity with the victims of the Inaba serial murder case."

The young detective stopped to lean into her leather chair. She folded her arms, closed her eyes, and then she took a deep breath before she released it slowly. When she was done, Naoto lightly shook her head.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Shirogane," she berated herself, taking yet another deep breath. "There's still a key point which hasn't been confirmed yet. Until then, this case is unrelated to the case in Inaba. Treat it like you would a normal homicide."

Despite her efforts to convince herself, she could feel the doubt lingering in her mind, taking the form of Yamato Takeru flittering about as if trying to warn her about something.

While her Persona rarely spoke, Naoto could usually feel his presence and his every movement within her. It seemed to be Yamato Takeru's way of communicating with her, so whenever she sensed him shifting around, Naoto had to deduce what he was trying to convey with his actions. To others, this might seem like an impossible feat; after all, how could you tell what someone is saying through body language when you can't see it in the first place? But perhaps since Yamato Takeru was a part of her, there really was no need to actually _see_ him in order to understand him.

So from the way he was flying about and making spins in the air - at least, that was how it felt like to Naoto - Yamato Takeru was definitely concerned about something about the case. Though what exactly, Naoto couldn't pinpoint at the moment. Since her Persona's anxiety often translated into her own, however, it was making her rather unsettled, and so the detective picked up Orihara's file and began looking through it carefully again, resolved not to leave any stone unturned.

At first glance there wasn't anything out of the ordinary with Orihara's statement. It sounded logical, for it would explain why the two men were there, and how they had chanced upon the corpse. However, Naoto couldn't ignore the feeling that there was something suspicious about the man's statement.

Firstly, why did Heiwajima chase after Orihara if Orihara was the ordinary citizen he claimed to be? Heiwajima said that he detested the other man and that they were enemies, but on what basis, exactly? Was there something more to their relationship than what it seemed on paper? Residents said that it was common to see them fight and cause collateral damage, but nobody could offer a valid explanation as to what resulted in that.

Another thing that struck as odd was that Orihara hinted to the policeman recording his statement that Heiwajima had a motive for killing Yagiri Seiji. He told the policeman that Heiwajima had once gotten into a scuffle with Yagiri, who stabbed the former using ballpoint pens. Indeed, such fights were not uncommon motives for murder, but there was a clear lack of evidence, and thus it would be unreasonable to pinpoint Heiwajima as a suspect.

There must be some concrete reason why Orihara was convinced that Heiwajima deserved to be prosecuted by the law, though. So, if they were truly enemies, as Heiwajima asserted, then it would make perfect sense.

'..._Therefore, the only likely explanation for the inconsistencies in their statements is that Orihara-san was not being completely honest.' _That was the conclusion that Naoto arrived at and, perhaps, it was what Yamato Takeru wanted to bring her attention to as well.

But Yamato Takeru was still fluttering about, almost like a dragonfly dancing around in circles, as if there was something that she was still missing. Or, rather, that she was on the wrong track; that she shouldn't have been paying attention to Orihara Izaya's words but something else altogether.

'_What are you trying to tell me, Yamato Takeru?_' the young detective wondered. Then, she caught her own mistake, and shook her head. '_No...what am _I _trying to tell myself? Is there something that I have yet to be aware of?_'

Naoto flipped the page, only to find nothing else remaining. She closed the file to take the one with Heiwajima Shizuo's name written on top, and went straight to the last page - a closing comment by the police officers who recorded his statement. The same could be said for Samia Brezhnev's folder.

That was when the detective realised that was nothing about the witnesses themselves in all three folders. It wasn't anything unusual, of course, since collating the witnesses' particulars like the age and address was not part of the protocol when taking statements. But for reasons unknown to even herself, Naoto had a feeling - a detective's intuition, as one might say - that such information held a key to understanding the case.

Immediately Naoto reached out for the office phone and pressed the quick dial. The phone rang twice before Naoto heard someone pick up. "Yes?" a deep, male voice answered.

"Good afternoon. This is Shirogane speaking."

"Ahh, Detective Shirogane. How may I help you?"

Naoto decided to go straight to the point. "Sir, I would like to enquire if it is possible for you to send me information about the three men who were near the site where the body of Yagiri Seiji was discovered. After looking over their statements, I believe that such information may prove to be helpful."

"That won't be a problem, Detective. My only request is that you give us some time for that."

"Certainly."

There was a slight pause. "Though I'd have to warn you...I don't think we'll be able to provide you with accurate information about one of those witnesses."

That was to be expected, but still, it got Naoto curious. "May I know who that would be?"

"It's Orihara Izaya, the one who first found the body."

Naoto could feel Yamato Takeru's movements become sharper and swifter at the mention of that name. Her eyes narrowed. "I see...and you never tried to search for his true particulars?"

"We did, but then every time we do, we'd find another source that contradicts what we've found. Detective, you ought to understand, we're not dealing with an ordinary citizen here."

Naoto said nothing.

The police officer took it as his cue to continue. "Well, of course, he's not involved in any major crime that we know of, but we've had men fish for information about him before, just in case, and we never failed to hit some snags eventually. He can be a pretty shady guy."

"...Is that so?" the detective replied, sounding disappointed despite the fact that childlike excitement was steadily building up within her.

Who is this man exactly? What does he do for a living that he has to go to such an extent to hide his personal information? What is his true relation to the man named Heiwajima Shizuo? Such questions filled her mind, and her desire to solve the mystery known as Orihara Izaya elevated with every second. It was for the fun of solving such mysteries that Naoto became a detective; became the person she is today.

She wouldn't deny that she was feeling rather exhilarated at having yet another enigma appear before her eyes. But of course, Naoto wouldn't let the thrill distract her from being the professional detective she was. After all, her true purpose in coming to Ikebukuro was to find the culprit responsible for the murder of Yagiri Seiji, as well as find out if it was related to the murders in Inaba. Figuring out who Orihara-san is would only be secondary.

"...Detective?"

Naoto shook her head, realising that she must've had been too deep in thought. "My apologies. I was considering the next possible course of action to take."

"No, no, it's quite alright. Take your time." Although the man had said that, Naoto could hear a hint of impatience in his tone, which was not-so-subtly condescending.

"Well," she began, deciding not to pay any attention to what her current colleague had said earlier, "if it isn't too much trouble, please also send me photographs of the three men. It would be useful to know how they look like, especially Orihara-san since he was the first to discover the body."

"With all due respect, Detective Shirogane, I highly doubt that would-"

"In case you didn't know, sir, the student who discovered the first body in the Inaba serial murder case ended up as a victim." Naoto paused. When all she heard over the phone was silence, she continued, "This is merely a safety precaution. I hope you can co-operate with me."

"...Understood. I'll send them over to you via email."

"I appreciate it." Shirogane nodded. "Oh, and one more thing. Please contact the local news broadcasting station to ensure that any interviews with the people who discovered the body do not go on air. In fact it would be ideal if no such interviews are conducted at all."

"Huh? But...why not? Their confidentiality will be assured of. And it would be better for the public to know more about the case so that they can keep track of it."

"That may be the case, but we need to reduce as many similarities with the Inaba murders as possible. That way, we can conclude if this is indeed related to the serial murders, or something else altogether."

The man clicked his tongue softly. "Detective, we don't have complete control over the media. Information is bound to be leaked somehow. It won't be long till the public finds out the identities of the people who found the body."

'_Yes, and that is what worries me,'_ Naoto thought with a frown, recalling the exact flow of events that led to the kidnapping of the potential victims while she was investigating the murder case back in Inaba.

"Regardless," she said, "as long as we can withhold key information, even for a limited amount of time, we'll have an advantage over the killer."

Her colleague's grumble did not escape her.

"Please...this is a crucial period. We mustn't waste any time."

"...Very well. I'll do my best."

The young detective nodded to herself, despite the man's reluctance to follow her instructions. "Thank you. Have a good day, sir."

"You too, Detective."

After she heard the click and beeping that indicated to her that the man had hung up, Naoto placed the phone down, then leaned into her chair once more. She stared up at the ceiling, folding her arms in her lap as she did so, before she closed her eyes and heaved a sigh while she waited for the email to arrive.

It was during this moment of tranquillity that Naoto could once again sense Yamato Takeru's presence, feeling his warm, sunny glow wash over her. He had skid to a halt, and was gliding around the depths of her subconscious gracefully, as if he were a dolphin in a boundless sea, spreading his light to every part of her.

And, just briefly, but surely, Naoto heard a voice; oddly similar to hers, but in a much deeper, more masculine, tone. It was muffled, almost like listening to someone else speak while fully submerged in water, but at the same time it was loud and coherent, as though the owner of the voice was whispering directly into her ear.

Naoto froze.

_"Keep going,"_ was all the voice had said, before it melted away into nothingness.

Then she relaxed and allowed herself to smile.

* * *

Exhausted from a day's worth of college and running around, Souji and Yosuke decided to take shortest path back to their apartment. The exited the school compounds, and stepped into Ikebukuro's streets, greeted by the lazy late afternoon crowd that sparsely filled the area.

Yosuke yawned as he raised both his hands in the air and stretched.

"In the end," he started, tiptoeing for a bit while he walked alongside his grey-haired companion, "we never did manage to find out if this is related to the murders after all."

"Well, at least we gathered some useful information."

"Yeah, I guess." The brunet briefly glanced up at the sky. "Oh yeah...we were so busy that I hadn't realised that today's the day that..."

Souji gave his best friend a concerned look. "Yosuke..."

Yosuke shook his head. "Don't worry, partner. I'm fine. Really."

Souji didn't doubt that, but still, he couldn't help but feel worried for his friend.

They walked in silence thereafter, Yosuke with his arms folded and Souji with a hand on his hip. Both kept their eyes on the ground as they moved along the pavement, watching the tiles turn a darker shade of orange as time passed.

The pair made a turn, and then another. Moments passed before they found themselves standing at a four-way junction, looking from left to right. People and cars fell into their line of vision wherever they faced.

The two adolescents were about to proceed along that left path when they heard familiar accentuated Japanese calling out to them.

"Ohhh, Souji! And friend!"

"Hm?" The pair tilted their heads back, noticing a dark-skinned man clad in a sushi chef outfit standing behind them. Souji blinked, a little dazedly, and then he smiled. "Ah, Simon-san."

Simon gave the two younger males a broad, warm smile. "It nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you again too, Simon-san."

The Russian's eyes fell on the brunet next to Souji. He couldn't resist the urge to clap his hands out of glee, which produced a rustling sound as the flyers in his hands rubbed against each other. "This must be Yo-su-ke, yes?"

"Y-yup! It is!" Yosuke bit his lower lip in an effort to stop himself from laughing at the alien pronunciation of his name. "It's, ah, great to actually see you in person, Simon-san."

Simon nodded enthusiastically, apparently sharing the same sentiments as the brunet. Then, as if remembering something important, Simon quickly flattened the flyers in his possession before he took one of them and held it out to Yosuke.

"Sushi?" asked the Russian, who had put on his most convincing smile.

"T-that's okay, really. I already tried it." The brunet desperately raised his hand, declining the offer as politely as he could endeavour.

Not at all bothered by the gesture, Simon tucked the flyer back into the pile he had in his hands. "It yummy, no? I recommend raw beef sushi. It new on menu. Very fresh."

"Ah, we ordered that yesterday," Souji chipped in, looking as though he was in a hurry to stop Yosuke from giving his honest comments about his lunch. "We also got ourselves some of the other sushi you have on your recommendations list."

"Good, good. Sushi fill stomach, give you energy." Then, out of the blue, Simon's face fell, and he shook his head. "Different from fighting. Fighting no good. Eat sushi better."

That sounded rather familiar to both adolescents, who fell into a somewhat deep thought as they pondered over where they had heard the Russian's words. "Simon-san, are you, perhaps, referring to what happened yesterday?"

The older man nodded at Souji's question. "They always fighting. I tell them off, but they never listen." He gave an exasperated sigh, his shoulders sinking as he did so.

"Who exactly are they?"

Simon blinked, appearing slightly confused. "Souji does not know? But you live here for one year already."

"I don't really go out that often," the silver-haired undergraduate explained. "Aside from school and going to Russia Sushi."

"Hmm...so Souji never see them fight before. That very strange." The Russian's brows were furrowed, as if tied together by an invisible thread. "It better if you not involved. You saw, yes? And yet you wish to know more?" he added, carefully regarding the two teens standing before him.

Before Yosuke could protest, Souji answered with a determined nod, "Yes. Please do tell me about them."

The brunet shot his partner an incredulous look, as if to ask "You really wanna know that badly, don't you?" Souji gave a sheepish shrug back.

"I see." The frown that was etched onto Simon's features suddenly turned into a warm smile. "Then we shall talk over sushi! It will be long story, and you will go hungry. And that no good, no good at all. So I order big portion for you, then can eat more and fill stomach. Yes?"

All colour on Yosuke's face drained considerably.

* * *

Night soon descended upon the city.

Despite that, the hassle of urban life still continued. Cars drove along the roads, buildings lit up like beautifully decorated Christmas trees, humans dominated the streets...

One has to admit that Ikebukuro can be quite a pretty sight at night, especially when one takes in an aerial view of the city while perched on a metal railing on the rooftop of a skyscraper building situated in the heart of the metropolis.

Izaya leaned over from where he was standing, keeping his hands in his pockets as he watched from above. "Truly marvellous," he breathed, letting the cool evening breeze sweep over him.

"I don't see what's so spectacular about it. It looks the same every night."

The informant looked over his shoulder, appearing unfazed that his human observation time had been interrupted by the dry comeback. "Ah, so nice of you to join me, Namie. And I see you've brought a friend, too. Just as I asked for. What a good girl, I should reward you."

"You falling to your death right now would be the perfect way to do that."

"How cruel of you. I do sign your paychecks, you know." Izaya shook his head in mock disappointment.

Namie gave him a scornful look. "I don't work for you anymore."

"Yes, I believe you've already made your intention clear in your letter of resignation." The raven took the envelope out from one of his jacket pockets, keeping it clipped between his index and middle fingers as he waved it. "But I never did say that I accepted it, did I?"

"I couldn't care less about that."

"Is this how you react when the only object you deem as deserving of your affection is gone? I must admit, it really is quite intriguing to see you getting this uptight."

Knowing that any emotional reaction from her was what the informant wanted to see, Namie focused on keeping as calm and composed as she could. Being mindful of her words and body language, Namie simply maintained her emotionless exterior, and set Celty's head onto the ground next to her while remaining where she was.

Izaya hummed in amusement, but otherwise remained silent as he continued observing the woman's every move.

Finally deciding that silence and watchful gazes would not get her anywhere, Namie folded her arms, standing firm beside the container containing the Dullahan's severed head. "I'm sure you know what I'm here for."

"Why of course. How may I be of service, Yagiri Namie-san?" Izaya spoke while he casually walked across the railing, raising both arms as he balanced himself.

The young woman pointedly ignored the information broker's antics. "I want to know who killed my brother."

"Hmm, unfortunately, I have nothing of value to offer concerning that at the moment. Whoever it is must have been quite a professional, I must add."

Namie's eyes narrowed slightly. "Elaborate."

"Well, there is nothing indicating of a fatal wound found on Yagiri-kun's body. That leaves poison as the next possible alternative, but alas, there are no signs of Yagiri-kun having been poisoned, either, so naturally, one would expect the cause of death to be a terminal illness, but you, of all people, should know that that isn't likely."

"..."

"The police have their hands tied up with this case. Up until now, they haven't found a possible suspect. Ahh, but they did consider Shizu-chan as one, though they let him off due to lack of evidence. What a shame." Despite saying that, the smirk never left Izaya's face. He continued circling around Namie, watching her intently. "If you want an honest opinion, I doubt they have discovered any new leads ever since Yagiri-kun's body was found. Well, it's still early into the investigation, after all. Who knows? I may have a satisfying answer for you in one second, one minute, one day…oh, the possibilities are endless!"

Namie stared back at the informant coolly. "I heard you were there when Seiji was found."

"Ahh, indeed I was. What of it? Jealous that you weren't the first to find your beloved brother and that it had to be me, of all people, who did?"

Namie kept her eyes on him, but said nothing.

"Or perhaps you're angry that the police took his body away. You've always been rather possessive of him, after all. What twisted love. Speaking of which, dare I ask what have you done to Mika-chan? She was there when Yagiri-kun went missing, if I'm not wrong. Do you blame her for not keeping an eye on your beloved brother? Or maybe you..."

Namie finally let out a soft sigh, and directed her attention away from the informant.

Then, without another word, Namie picked up the sleeping head and headed for the door, leaving her former employer behind talking to himself on the roof with the view of Ikebukuro as his only companion.


	8. April 16 2013, Daytime to Evening

A/N: **Might have some OOCness** **on Mika's part up ahead**, though I can't be sure since I don't know how she was like prior to meeting Seiji. I know she's always been capable of gathering a lot of information, as hinted in the novels, but the thing is, I don't know if there's anything else to her than that. For the sake of this chapter, though, I expanded on her character a bit, thus the warning. I apologise in advance if it makes you uncomfortable.

As always, thank you for reading/favouriting/following/reviewing this fic! :)

* * *

_There was nothing laid before him._

_Just an endless, empty space, shrouded in mist._

_He couldn't shrug off the feeling that he found the scene familiar, but when he tried to remember when he had experienced this sensation before, all that he could draw as a blank._

_A blank...just like this white, soulless world he was in._

_"Oh...so you're here again," a voice whispered to him._

_It reverberated throughout the plain, as if the voice was one with this world._

_It was yet again something else about this place that he found familiar._

_He was certain now, as confirmed by the voice, that he had indeed been here before, but the details of his previous visit escaped him. It was like reaching out to grasp a shapeless memory that he knew he once remembered but now remained forgotten. It made him feel...empty, somehow._

_"I'll help you regain what you've lost," the voice said encouragingly, temptingly. "Don't worry, you're never alone..."_

_Hesitantly, he made a step forward._

* * *

**April 16, 2013**

"Ugh... G'morning..."

"Good morning," Souji greeted without looking up from the cup of coffee he was drinking from. He took a sip, then placed the cup down. "You sound tired. Didn't sleep well last night?"

"Like I want to hear that coming from someone who is having nothing but coffee in the morning..." Yosuke groaned as he pulled out a chair across Souji. The moment he sat down, his face met the dining table. The silver-haired adolescent nearly chuckled at the sight; it reminded him of his first day at Yasogami High.

"Putting that aside, how are you feeling?"

"Still kinda crappy. But at least," the brunet paused to yawn, "I don't feel like throwing up anymore. Not like the first time I ate that."

Souji brewed another cup of coffee for his friend, who took up the kind offer and slurped the caffeinated drink.

They were still reeling from the exhaustion of the previous day's events, the last being a long talk with Simon over dinner at the restaurant he worked at. Said dinner included a wide spread of suspicious-looking sushi, the kind that Yosuke actively tried to avoid. But there was simply no way to do that when the chef was around, so Yosuke had to oblige and eat it.

It was worth it, however.

"Can't believe that we managed to find out that it was Heiwajima Shizuo-san and Orihara Izaya-san who found the body, though. Who would've thought?"

"I'm not surprised. No interviews were shown, after all." Souji folded his arms and leaned back into the chair. The gears in his head started to turn. "There's something strange about that, though..."

"Oh, you find it weird too?" Yosuke sprung into life. "Normally the media'd be all over it, but aside from the news shown on the day the body was found, there's practically no other coverage. It's like they're keeping stuff from the public, even though people are already starting to hear things like the identity of the victim."

Souji gave a firm nod. "On top of that, where exactly they heard it from is unclear. Simon-san was nearby, so I can understand...but that place is very remote. I doubt anyone else was there, and Simon-san doesn't discuss these things with just anyone. Kamichika also mentioned that people wouldn't want to get into trouble by spreading the information, so who...?"

The brunet heaved a frustrated sigh. "The more we know about this case, the more questions we have. Dammit..."

They grew quiet after that, neither party knowing how to continue the conversation and contribute to understanding their situation more.

It was times like this that they wished their teammates were with them.

While Yosuke was more of the ideas person, Souji was the one with the talents and abilities required to carry them out. But in the end, that was all they could do.

And that was when the rest of the team came in, making up for what Souji and Yosuke themselves lacked in.

Satonaka, for instance, would say the first thing that came to her mind, and sometimes she actually hit the nail right on the head. Amagi would ask thought-provoking questions, leading the team to explore areas they never thought of before to enhance their understanding of the case, even if these areas had little to no relation to the case itself.

And while Kanji wasn't one to offer new insights, he said what needed to be said in order to keep the team focused on their aim, making sure that nobody lost sight of what they were fighting for. In contrast, Naoto reiterated information and sorted out facts, looking at the case from different angles and considering all aspects possible.

Rise would cheer everyone on, and give them the motivation they needed to press on. Teddie, too, acted as moral support and brightened up the atmosphere by making puns and encouraging everybody to have fun.

But they weren't here.

Souji and Yosuke sat in silence, not knowing whether to change the topic. They hadn't realised that the apartment had been enveloped in sudden darkness until they heard the sound of rain pattering against glass.

"...Just as the weather forecast predicted," Souji mumbled to himself before he got up from his seat to close the windows.

Yosuke soon followed suit. He stood next to his partner, watching the dark clouds drift by and raindrops trickle down the glass. "Looks like another storm," he remarked grimly with his arms folded.

"Yeah..."

The brunet turned to face his leader. "So, today's the day, huh? The day when we can finally confirm with our own eyes if the Midnight Channel still exists?"

Souji nodded mutely.

"Heh, you know...I'm actually pretty excited."

The silver-haired adolescent didn't seem surprised to hear that.

Yosuke smiled wryly. "Part of me hopes that it's not gone, that the case is still unsolved, that we would need to use our Personas again. I won't lie about that." Then he glanced away, in an effort to escape Souji's unwavering gaze. "It's pretty funny. I thought I'm not like that anymore. I mean, I changed, didn't I? Isn't Susano-O proof of that?"

Souji's decision to remain silent allowed Yosuke the opportunity to continue spilling out his feelings. "But I guess that part of me will always remain no matter how much I change, huh? Even when someone's turned up dead, I'm still..." His shoulders sunk as he gave a resentful sigh, one that was obviously directed at himself. "This sucks. I know I shouldn't be feeling this way, but I..."

"Yosuke," Souji finally spoke, his voice carrying such gentleness and warmth that the brunet instantly looked up at him. A smile full of understanding was painted on Souji's face. "I've said it before, didn't I? Believe in yourself, and believe in us. You don't have to force yourself to change so quickly. Even if that part of you doesn't change, we'll always be here for you. That's what friends are for, right?"

Yosuke stared at him blankly, his stunned expression frozen in place. Then he choked on his own laughter, before he finally gave a relieved smile. "...Yeah. Yeah, I know. I was just..." Yosuke rubbed his nose in an embarrassed fashion. "Thanks, partner. I don't know what came over me back there. I mean, you just lost someone recently too, but now you're listening to my crap when I should be the one who..."

"It's okay," Souji replied soothingly, casting his best friend a concerned gaze.

The brunet fidgeted. "...But...but seriously, dude, you say the cheesiest of things sometimes. What are you, a writer for a soap opera?"

Souji couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head.

"Still..." Yosuke was soft, his voice masked by the sound of rain beating the windows, but the close proximity of the pair allowed Souji to hear his words. "If it all turns out to be related to the other world, and if we're going to have to go there again... Whatever it is, I'll face it straight-on. And if anything happens to you, partner, or to any of the others, just know that I'll do whatever it takes to protect you guys. It's the least I can do, right?"

Grey eyes widened slightly at the declaration. Then, they softened, the edges of Souji's lips rising as he gave a light nod. "I'll be counting on you for that, then, partner."

Yosuke beamed before he nodded back.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear? About Yagiri Seiji-kun from Class 3A?"

"I heard, I heard! His body was found hanging from a lamp post, right? So scary..."

Whisper, whisper.

"Eh?! Then, the homicide that the news mentioned the other day... The victim was Yagiri-san?!"

"Shh! Not so loud! You wouldn't want the teachers to know that we know, would you?"

Murmur, murmur.

"Oh yeah, and you know his girlfriend? That Harima Mika person? Apparently, she didn't come to school yesterday..."

"Huh? What's so weird about that?"

"Fufu...well, the thing is, I saw her just now! She looked a little different, but you can't go wrong with that hideous scar on her neck. Oh and get this: she was all smiles, like nothing ever happened!"

"Ehhh? Her boyfriend just passed away, and she can still be in high spirits? How cold..."

"Maybe her love for him was fake after all. Poor Yagiri-kun."

Snicker, snicker.

"Putting that aside, I also heard about something else. Apparently, it was not one, but _two _people who found Yagiri-kun."

"Two people? ...As in, a couple?"

"Pfft, no way! We're talking about Heiwajima Shizuo-san and that man he's always chasing around. Y'know, the man in that fur-trimmed jacket."

"Ohh, that person."

"Hmm...you know, I've always been wondering who that other man really is. I don't think anybody knows his name, right?"

"Huh, come to think of it... I guess...nobody bothered? I mean, practically everyone in Ikebukuro just knows him as the guy who Heiwajima Shizuo-san always chases around. I heard he used to be on the cops' blacklist, though."

"…But Heiwajima-san always yells out that person's name whenever the chasing happens, doesn't he?"

"Oh he does? I never really pay attention. Ah, whatever. More importantly, don't you think he looks kinda cool?"

"You too?! Ahhh actually I think both of them look really cool...but Heiwajima-san is a bit scary..."

"I totally hear you."

Giggle, giggle; whisper, whisper.

* * *

Sonohara Anri wasn't one to be easily swayed by rumours. Or at least, that was what she thought.

The life she had led followed a very simple principle: depend on others in order to have a peaceful life, without being too emotionally invested. One could label it as being synonymous with the relationship between a parasite and its host, which, in her opinion, was the most precise illustration of the relationships she had with the people around her.

To deny that it was a horrible way of life would be lying, but to Anri, it was necessary. After all, parasites don't stop leeching off from their hosts just because it is a despicable act.

But because she knew that it was awful of her to do so, Anri never believed herself to be capable of initiating relationships with others. She always had to wait for other people to approach her before she would be willing to let down her walls and enter their world. Once things got out of hand, however, Anri wouldn't hesitate to run into her own world of isolation and watch things unfold in a series of picture frames as a means to protect herself.

It didn't mean that she was running away from reality. It was just that the best way to handle desperate circumstances was to view it with indifference. That was all there was to it.

So being within that world of indifference she constructed for herself, Anri thought that things like rumours and gossips wouldn't affect her in the least. But perhaps meeting the people she regarded as friends changed all that.

Now if she heard of any rumours that her friends' safety might be threatened, Anri wouldn't hesitate to get to the bottom of things and eliminate such threats to ensure that they wouldn't be in danger. And if she heard of any rumours that concerned her friends, Anri would pay close attention to them and keep those rumours in mind.

She was quite bewildered when she realised it at first, but as time passed she got used to it, taking it as a sign that her life was changing; a sign that she was moving on instead of being frozen in time.

That was why when she heard that Harima-san was back in school, Anri didn't hesitate to run to the classroom from the school gates, wanting to confirm it with her own eyes.

Although they no longer talked to each other like they did in middle school, Anri still couldn't help but find herself worried for Mika's welfare.

_'She just lost someone she cared very deeply for...she must be hurt,' _Anri thought as she ran. She stopped right outside 3A's classroom, breathing heavily as she placed her hand on the door. _'I just want to see how she's doing.'_

When Anri slid the door open, the sight of a half-empty classroom greeted her. Barely anybody looked up from their books and notes at the sound of somebody opening the door and entering the room. Anri herself paid no attention to her other classmates, as she was only interested in seeing for herself if the rumours were indeed true.

And sure enough, they were. There by the window, in the corner of the classroom, sat Harima Mika. She was in the very last seat in the row, right behind Mikado's seat, staring at the ground and shuffling her feet. Her white hat was on the top of her desk, left alone and forgotten, like its owner now.

Anri bit her lower lip, unsure of how to approach her friend from middle school when she was in such a state. There was no time to ponder over that, however, for Mika had chosen that moment to look up, making eye contact with her. When she saw what the rumours had meant by Mika appearing "different", Anri couldn't suppress the soft gasp that escaped her lips. Her hand instantly flew to cover her mouth.

"Harima...san...?"

Mika didn't seem the least bit bothered by Anri's reaction. Instead, she leapt out from her seat and ran into the bespectacled girl's arms, pulling her into a tight embrace. The surprising gesture left many of her classmates in the room utterly shocked, Anri included.

"U-um, Harima-sa-"

"I'm so glad you're finally here, Anri-chan!" Mika exclaimed, her grip on Anri tightening as if she were clinging onto Anri for her dear life. "It's been so weird for me since this morning... I've had people asking me what I'm doing in school today, and giving me their condolences, and-and-and I saw this horrible scar on my neck when I woke up and looked in the mirror. I don't understand what's going on! Anri-chan, do you know? Can you help me?"

Perplexed at the turn of events, Anri struggled to get free from Mika's grasp, but the other girl didn't show signs of letting her go. "H-Harima-san," she managed to say.

When she detected the slight hint of fear and uncertainty in Anri's voice, Mika's expression turned into one of guilt in an instant. She quickly released her hold on her bespectacled classmate, and meekly turned away.

Anri was about to ask Mika concerning everything she had mentioned earlier, but noticed the stares that they were getting from their classmates. She bowed her head, looking at the ground; she was, quite honestly, at a loss of what she should do.

Over the past two years, Anri had grown used to the indifference that Mika often displayed towards her, so seeing her this affectionate and friendly again was unexpected. And from the way Mika sounded, it seemed as though Mika had lost all her memories of those two years, and had turned back into the Harima Mika in Anri's memories of middle school as a result. But why would she suddenly-

_'Is it because of the shock from knowing about Yagiri-san's death?' _Anri gave it some more thought. _'But...even if that's the case, then…why does Harima-san look exactly like she did before she met Yagiri-san? It...doesn't make sense...'_

At that moment, Mika slowly tilted her head back, maybe out of precaution since the world she knew seemed to have disappeared so suddenly. That was when Anri found herself staring into chocolate brown eyes in place of the mint green ones Mika had for the past two years. To some extent, she was relieved to see the eyes and hair she was used to, but the whole situation seemed far too bizarre for Anri to swallow.

"Ne, Anri-chan..." Mika suddenly tried again, evidently much calmer than she was before. "Anri-chan knows, right? About what's going on?"

_'No, I don't know at all, Harima-san.' _Anri kept her head down.

"Anri-chan is acting strange, too..." The brunette commented softly, shuffling her feet. "Anri-chan, did I...forget about something? I thought today is the day we're supposed to sit for the entrance exam to Raira Academy, but then I saw the date and it looks all wrong..."

"...Eh?" Anri looked up. "So, Harima-san has really...?"

"I really what? What is it?" Mika leaned forward, a frown etched on her features from middle school. "Anri-chan, tell me."

"Um, that...that is..."

"U-u-uwaah, S-Sonohara-san!"

Both girls, along with the other students of Class 3A, immediately directed their attention to the raven-haired male standing at the doorway. Face flushed from the unwanted attention, Mikado hurriedly gestured for everyone to settle down and walked towards the two girls. "S-Sensei is looking for us, Sonohara-san," he stammered.

Anri briefly wondered if it was a lie Mikado came up with on the spot, but decided to play along with him for the time being. "O-oh, I see. Um, I'm sorry, Harima-san."

Mika gave Mikado and Anri a suspicious glance, and then she sighed. "I'll ask you again during break, then." With that, she reluctantly returned to her seat where her cap was waiting.

Heaving a quiet sigh of relief, Anri turned to face Mikado with the intention of thanking him, but he suddenly said, "We need to see Sensei now, Sonohara-san."

Anri was a bit taken aback to hear that. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh..." The black-haired boy looked over his friend's shoulder at the brunette sitting silently by the window, and fidgeted. "It's about Harima-san," he mumbled.

"Oh...okay. Then...we should go, right?" the bespectacled girl replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

Mikado nodded, then led the way out of the classroom, with Anri trailing behind him. As they walked together towards the teachers' lounge, Mikado occasionally glanced at Anri, making sure that she was all right. She was oblivious to his gesture, however, appearing deep in thought with her head hung low as she walked alongside him.

It was a very quiet trip to the lounge.

* * *

The moment the bell chimed to signal the end of school, Mika did not hesitate to pounce onto Anri again, like she did at lunch when she demanded for answers. This time, though, she requested for something different.

"Let's walk home together like we always do, Anri-chan!"

No matter how surreal the current situation still seemed, it was impossible to say no to her, especially after hearing what the teacher said in the morning before lessons started. So Anri tried to smile, and said, "Ah...um, okay." Mika beamed at her reply.

As the pair walked out of the classroom together, Anri tilted her head back and noticed Mikado standing up from his seat. He was waving his phone, which had been flipped open, and making silent gestures with his free hand; she couldn't tell exactly what he was trying to convey, but eventually got the sketchy idea that Mikado was saying that he would contact her later, and nodded at him before she disappeared from his sight.

At the entrance of the school building, Mika nearly stepped outside until she noticed the bad weather that persisted since morning. "Ah, poo, it's still raining," she grumbled as she opened up her umbrella. "And here I thought we could drop by the park or something."

"I-it's okay. We can always go another time," Anri quickly replied, opening up her umbrella as well.

"...If I can remember that." Mika's voice was laced with spite and frustration.

Anri's eyes softened. "Harima-san..."

"Ahh, whatever, I don't care anymore. Let's just go home, Anri-chan."

Mika took off. Anri followed closely behind.

Just as they made a turn from the school gates, the brunette accidentally knocked into someone's shoulder. She couldn't suppress a yelp of surprise at the unexpected contact. "Ow-"

"Ack, s-sorry!" a shaky, male voice answered as the stranger turned, facing the two girls. His eyes fell on Anri. "Huh? Wait, aren't you...?"

"Um, do I know you?" the bespectacled girl asked hesitantly.

Out of precaution, Mika stood in front of her with her free hand outstretched, as if shielding Anri from the person in front of them.

"Woah, take it easy. I don't mean her any harm." The brown-haired adolescent then redirected his attention back to Anri. "Anyway, it's me. You know...Hanamura? The guy who dropped by your class yesterday? You were busy cleaning up, so we never really talked."

"Oh...I remember now." Anri placed a comforting hand on Mika's arm. "It's okay, Harima-san."

With a huff, the brunette let her arm fall to her side. She didn't budge from her position, however, keeping her eyes on the male who referred to himself as Hanamura.

Noticing her evident hostility, Yosuke couldn't help but wince. "Uh... I'm sorry I bumped into you." He figured it wouldn't hurt to start off with that. "I was kinda in a hurry to meet a friend, so I wasn't paying attention to what's around me."

"And that person is...Seta-san, correct?" Anri had paused for a while in order to recall the other undergraduate's name.

"Yeah, it is. You've got a pretty good memory." Hanamura tossed her a friendly wink as he complimented her. It made her blush slightly.

It was a different case for Mika, however, whose brows creased, clearly unimpressed with what Hanamura had said. When Anri saw that, she began to panic a little. "U-um...! If there's nothing else, may we...?"

"Oh, sorry, hang on for a moment," Yosuke called out before the two girls walked away. "I was wondering if...well, if you happen to know the person who was going out with Yagiri." He failed to notice Anri's flinch. "The thing is, I can understand what she's going through right now. It's a crappy feeling, and I know that it'd be good if she has someone to turn to, so I wanted to just...talk to her, or something. I won't do anything to her, I promise. I just want to talk."

"...Well, you're talking to her now," Mika spat venomously.

Both Yosuke and Anri looked at her in surprise. There was a simultaneous cry of "Huh?" and "Harima-san…?!" in response to what she said.

The brunette scowled. "You said you wanted to talk to Seiji-san's girlfriend. Well, here I am. Say what you want already."

"Uh...okay...?" Yosuke gave her a wary glance. "Are you feeling alright?"

His question only served to make the girl even more upset. "You don't understand at all!" she exclaimed. "Do you know what it's like to wake up and find an ugly scar on your neck for no reason? What it's like to be told that you've lost two years' worth of memories?" Her fingers curled into a tight fist. "Do you know what it's like to have people tell you that you were dating someone you don't even _remember_?"

Yosuke was speechless.

Mika took a deep breath, then released it slowly. "...I thought so," she murmured.

"H-Harima-san..."

Mika gave her friend from middle school a warm smile, a stark contrast to her outburst earlier. "Sorry about that, Anri-chan. Let's go for now, okay?"

Anri nodded numbly, not forgetting to give Hanamura a slight bow before she walked alongside Mika down the pavement. The brunet, disconcerted by what he had just heard, remained where he was, not knowing when to move or what to say.

When they were certain that they were at quite a distance away from the school gates, the two girls slowed down in their steps. Mika hadn't looked up at all since leaving Hanamura shocked and alone in the downpour, which made Anri rather concerned, but the latter chose to remain silent, for she hadn't the faintest idea of what would be an appropriate thing to say.

"Ne, Anri-chan..."

Hearing Mika's voice sound so sorrowful and broken shook Anri out of her stupor.

"When I asked you, during lunch, whether...whether you knew what was going on...you said that I lost my memories of the past two years, right?"

Anri casted her eyes downward solemnly.

"And...you told me...that during those two years, I was dating someone called Yagiri Seiji-san from our class, right? You said that I looked happy with him, and that you were glad for me. But I...I don't remember anything about him..."

Mika started to tremble.

"So why...why am I feeling so sad over the death of someone I don't even know?" The words leaving her lips were beginning to sound like strangled sobs. "It's like my heart is calling out to him, but I don't know how he even looks like, what he sounds like... And I want to know, I want to know everything about him! But if I do, then..."

The brunette reached up to wipe away the tears that were on the brink of spilling over. "Haha...I must look really stupid right now, crying over some stranger because of something another stranger said."

Anri finally looked up. "Harima-san..."

"I'm fine, Anri-chan. Really," she said, fighting back more tears. "I just didn't like how that Hanamura person tried to help me, that's all. I mean, he said that he understands, but I don't think he does at all."

Anri didn't say anything, but inwardly, she did agree with what Mika had said to a certain extent.

"And he's a little weird, too..." The brunette paused, sniffing a little. "You know, I thought he was going to do something to you at first. I mean, he seemed kind of suspicious, talking to you like that when you don't even really know him in the first place. Then he talked about Seiji-sa-" She quickly shook her head. "Never mind, forget it. We shouldn't be thinking about that Hanamura guy anymore, right Anri-chan?"

"…"

"…Anri-chan?"

"E-eh? O-oh, right." Anri looked away, her grip on the handle of her umbrella tightening. "Right..."

* * *

Souji sighed. "I see... So Yagiri's girlfriend doesn't remember anything from the past two years..."

Earlier on in the afternoon, Souji had noticed that his best friend looked rather down when he had gone to meet him at the lobby of the main university building after his tutorial. Despite that, Souji made the wise choice not to ask Yosuke about it, opting to do that only when they both reached home.

The moment they did, Souji had tried to coax Yosuke into telling him, but the brunet still looked uncomfortable about it, and instead promised to tell him everything after dinner. Souji remembered being mildly disappointed, but he agreed anyway, and headed to the kitchen to get started on their meal.

They had eaten together in awkward silence, which Yosuke broke when, out of the blue, he put down his cutlery. He had folded his arms, brows furrowed together, and said, "I saw Yagiri's girlfriend on my way to college just now."

And that was when Souji put away the dishes and listened to Yosuke's story, keeping quiet until Yosuke was done.

In response to the first thing Souji had to say, Yosuke nodded. "Yeah...so I feel really bad now." Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Damn, I shouldn't have said all that crap to her."

"You didn't know, Yosuke."

"But I should've known _better_." Yosuke's voice was full of guilt and self-directed anger. He closed his eyes, and saw the girl standing before him, one hand gripping onto the handle of her umbrella so strongly her fingers turned pale; the other hand, curled into a tight fist, quivering. He let out another frustrated sigh. "Who am I to think that I really understand what she's going through anyway? I mean, that's just thinking too highly of myself, isn't it? Acting as if I'm some kind of..._hero_ or something when I'm just a nobody to her."

"Yosuke..."

The brunet cut him off, "No, dude. I need to let it out, otherwise I'd just be lying to myself." He stood up from his seat abruptly. "I'm gonna head over to Raira first thing tomorrow morning...then I'll go look for her, and apologise."

Souji mirrored Yosuke's action. "I'll come with you."

The brunet shook his head. "You don't have to do that, Souji. I don't want you to be late for your lecture tomorrow. I mean, my lecture's in the afternoon, so I'll be fine, but yours is in the morning. I can't have you turning up late just because of something I'm responsible for."

Before the silver-haired adolescent could say anything further, the chime of a familiar ringtone distracted him. Hesitantly, Souji picked up his smartphone and was greeted by a translucent grey box. The text in it read: 'You have 1 new message.'

Without giving it a second thought, Souji swiped across the screen and headed directly to his message inbox. The name of the sender was listed at the top of the screen.

"…A message from Naoto...?"

"Oh, maybe she's just notifying you about her arrival in 'Bukuro," Yosuke suggested, walking over to where Souji was standing and looked over his shoulder.

Souji gave his friend a look that said that their discussion wasn't over just yet, then tapped on the screen where Naoto's name was displayed and proceeded to read her message together with Yosuke.

"Hmm, looks like she fixed that texting problem. …Uh-huh... So she arrived yesterday, but was too busy to tell us... Ohh! Look! We managed to gather nearly the same amount of info as what she has. I guess that means we're on the right track."

"Yeah...and she'll be looking into the details of the people who found the body…" Souji nodded distractedly, scrolling upwards to read more of the text the detective had sent. "Hm? This is..."

Yosuke leaned forward. "...Yagiri's girlfriend." He stepped away and folded his arms, frowning slightly. "I see...so her name's Harima Mika. I'll have to keep that in mind when I go look for her tomorrow."

Souji decided against continuing the discussion the both of them had prior to receiving Naoto's message, and remained focused on what the detective had to share with them. He scrolled up a bit more. As he read the last of Naoto's text, his eyes widened slightly.

"...Yosuke."

"Huh?"

The brunet didn't have time to react when his partner suddenly handed him the phone. He simply took it without thinking, then directed his attention to the screen.

"Wait, wha-this..." Yosuke reread the message, trying hard not to let his anxiety get the better of him. "S-Souji, we gotta go! Now!"

"I know," Souji said, already wearing his jacket and grabbing the keys to his scooter. Noticing his actions, Yosuke, too, picked up his jacket draped over his chair and quickly put it on. He returned the electronic device to its owner, who pocketed it.

"C'mon, let's hurry!"

Souji gave Yosuke an assuring nod, and then the pair left the apartment.

* * *

_-Senpai, I am unsure if you already know of this, but the victim of this case, Yagiri Seiji, was dating a classmate from Raira Academy. That student's name is Harima Mika._

_It has come to my attention that Harima-san is currently in a critical condition at the hospital after an attack allegedly by the Slasher. Regretfully, I do not know all the details, and am unable to confirm if the Slasher is linked to the murder of Yagiri-san. But regardless, please do be careful, Senpai. The culprit is currently still at large... I don't wish to see you or Hanamura-senpai getting hurt._

_I will continue to help in any way possible._

_Stay well, Senpai. Please send my regards to Hanamura-senpai as well._

_I look forward to our next meeting._


	9. April 16 2013, Evening: Part One

A/N: Personally, I really loved writing this chapter, because there is a particular scene I was dying to write. It will be very important in the (much) later parts of this story, so I hope it's memorable enough, haha.

Thank you to everyone who is reading/favouriting/following/reviewing this fic! :)

* * *

**April 16, 2013**

_Beep... Beep... Beep..._

That was the first thing Souji and Yosuke heard upon reaching Mika's ward located on the third floor in Ikebukuro Hospital.

While hearing such a stable heart rate was comforting, seeing the state the brunette was in was a completely different matter.

Her neck was elaborately wrapped with a bandage, which must've had been changed recently as blood was beginning to seep through and stain the white fabric. The blood loss from the Slasher attack had left Mika deathly pale; her lips were parched and cracked; her fingernails, chipped; and her hair, dishevelled.

There was an oxygen mask strapped over the lower half of her face, which was slightly contorted in pain from the wound she had received. Mika's breaths were also short and irregular, as though she were clinging onto the very last bit of her life remaining in her fragile body.

Yosuke squirmed. "Is...is she even conscious right now...?" He directed his attention to the ground. "I mean, that...that wound looks brutal. A-and dude, she's so pale if I compare it to a blank piece of paper I can't tell the difference."

Souji could only nod stiffly. While he, along with Yosuke, had grown used to seeing a wide spectrum of injuries thanks to his experience in the TV world, it was still unsettling to see someone wounded this badly. Additionally, wounds that were inflicted in the Shadows' realm could be healed instantly using the power of Personas. The same, however, could not be said of those inflicted while in the human world.

And unfortunately, Mika's slashed throat belonged to the latter.

"...Ngh...!"

Mika's heart rate suddenly flew into a frenzy.

Souji and Yosuke quickly went to her bedside and called for the nurse, but could otherwise do nothing except watch the brunette gasp for air and writhe in pain. They heard the door behind them slide open and the footsteps of the nurse rushing in. Stepping aside, the pair kept on looking as the nurse tended to the patient.

"I'm sorry, please leave the room for now." They did just that without any hesitation.

The moment they left the ward, they noticed a familiar bespectacled girl sitting right outside the room with her hands folded in her lap. She seemed to have heard the door being closed as she glanced up, and was mildly surprised to see the two of them.

"Um... Seta-san and Hanamura-san...right?" the girl asked as she rose from her seat, her voice barely above a whisper. With the corridor being fairly empty save for the three of them, Souji and Yosuke could hear her clearly.

"Oh, yeah," Yosuke responded. "We seem to bump into each other a lot, huh? Come to think of it...we never did ask for your name, did we?"

Although Yosuke had turned to Souji for an answer, the girl shook her head. "Um, it's...Sonohara Anri."

"Ah, thanks. So, erm, is it okay if to call you Sonohara-chan?"

Anri nodded silently.

"You're Harima-chan's friend, right? Did you come visit her?"

"Y-yes..." Anri replied shakily, but didn't reveal much more, leaving Souji and Yosuke to wonder which question she intended to answer. "And, um, Seta-san and Hanamura-san came here to visit Harima-san, too?"

"Oh, yeah," said Yosuke. "Actually, I was thinking about apologising to her tomorrow for what happened earlier, but then I heard she got attacked by the Slasher, so..."

"Oh... W-where did you hear it from?"

"Uh..." Yosuke had considered telling the shy girl about Naoto, but he didn't want to complicate matters for the detective since she wasn't supposed to disclose information so casually. So instead, he said, "A friend told us about it."

It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't close enough to the truth, either. Sonohara probably realised that somehow, because she didn't look too convinced by his vague answer. "A...'friend'...?"

"Yes, a friend." Souji decided to play along. "She knows quite a bit about what's going on in Ikebukuro."

"Kinda like a rumourmonger! Yup!" Yosuke nearly winced at his own blatant lie. He could imagine Naoto, looking none too pleased, checking the barrel of her gun, if she were to ever hear him call her that, and fervently hoped that she would never have to find out.

The pleasant smile on Souji's face was both reassuring and frightening at the same time.

"I see..." Sonohara trailed off, looking lost in her own thoughts. Then, she suddenly lifted her head up, making eye contact with the two older males. "Um, in any case, thank you for coming to visit Harima-san. A-and to apologise to her. I...I think she understands."

"It's no problem, Sonohara-chan." Yosuke paused. "I'm actually thinking about coming again on another day... You know, to apologise to her properly in person. I don't think she's in any condition right now to get pissed just at the sight of me, huh?"

"That's..." Anri tore her eyes away and stared at the ground again.

It didn't take long for Yosuke to fully register the implications of what he just said_._

_'...Oh _shit._'_

"I-I didn't mean anything bad by that! I mean, I'm sure Harima-chan is perfectly fine! Right, Souji?"

The silver-haired adolescent nodded readily. "It's just as Yosuke said, Sonohara. I'm certain that Harima is going to be all right."

"Y-yeah, exactly! Sorry for making you worried for no reason."

"It's okay..." Still, she did not lift her eyes from the floor.

Yosuke winced, and decided to leave the talking to Souji instead. "Well," the silver-haired undergraduate said, "I think it's best if we don't see Harima today and come back when Harima is more comfortable with our presence. But, are you gonna be okay by yourself here? It's really late now, I don't think you should stay here alone."

"I'll be fine," Anri answered softly. The pair casted her looks of disbelief. Sensing their doubt, she glanced up to face them directly. "R...really. Um, a friend will be coming to send me home, so..."

"I see... Alright then. Take care, Sonohara."

"Y...yeah, take care, Sonohara-chan."

Souji and Yosuke bid their farewells, then turned in the direction of the elevator. They walked off, leaving the shy girl standing alone in the corridor.

* * *

When they reached the parking area of the hospital, Souji and Yosuke noticed a motorcycle parked near their own bikes.

It was sleek and beautiful, painted in nothing but black, barely noticeable against the night backdrop. What stood out more, though, had been the lack of headlights and a licence plate.

Not having either was already a violation of traffic regulations. Not having both was worse.

Not wanting to be mistaken as its owner, the pair hastily rode their bikes and left the area.

The late, rainy Ikebukuro night had little cars and just as many people wandering around. It made travelling on the road much easier, but still, as they departed from the hospital, Souji and Yosuke kept at a steady pace with each other on the road.

They travelled deeper into the night, their surroundings slowly dimming as they passed by South Ikebukuro Park and reached an empty road junction where the traffic light flashed red. The pair stopped, and waited.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of Souji's neck were raised. Warily he stole a glance at the window attached to his scooter, but saw not a single soul behind them. It did nothing to tone down his now alert senses and the plethora of voices starting to murmur in the recesses of his mind, however.

"Yosuke," he whispered, knowing that even with his scooter's engine running, the brunet could still hear him. "No, don't turn to face me. Just listen."

Yosuke silently obeyed.

"We're being followed." His best friend took a sharp breath, but did not forget the warning, and focused on looking ahead. "I don't see anyone behind us, but I can't ignore this feeling... So we're not going back to the apartment, just to be safe. When the light turns green, follow my lead. I'll try to shake them off."

The brunet resisted the urge to nod, and remained perfectly still. Souji said nothing more about the visibly non-existent stalker behind them, and waited patiently for the signal to move on ahead.

When the signal finally came, Souji drove off. Yosuke trailed behind him. Neither could hear if there was indeed another vehicle following them, but the ominous feeling of being watched lingered in Souji's senses.

They kept moving further and further away from their apartment, going in all sorts of directions so as to throw their pursuer off. Even when they reached the more crowded roads of Ikebukuro, however, they still couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that someone was hot on their trail.

It was like encountering the Shadows that flashed crimson, the sort that screamed "I'll haunt you wherever you go". Sometimes the team might be strong enough to face these Shadows head-on; other times, they had to run away from the monstrosities as if evading a plague.

Those Shadows were as every bit as dangerous and ferocious as they seemed. They wouldn't give up once they landed their glowing scarlet eyes on a potential prey, and keep pursuing, and pursuing...

Yosuke shuddered at the thought. He hoped that whatever was following them would be different and give up soon; the tendons and muscles in his legs were beginning to protest after pedalling for a distance that they were not conditioned for.

Suddenly, lightning flashed across the sky.

That was when the pair was reminded of the fact that time was inching closer towards midnight.

Souji quickly glanced at his wristwatch. It read 9.50pm. His eyes narrowed slightly.

While there was still some time left before midnight, Souji knew that it wouldn't do either of them any good to stay out in the rain for too long. He had to get this invisible stalker off their trail as soon as possible.

They reached yet another traffic light junction, at the transition from the dull yellow light to the red one. With no other way to avoid it, they stopped where they were, making sure not to look over their shoulders.

Yosuke took this moment to switch his riding hand, the umbrella clumsily rocking back and forth as he did so.

"Hey, Souji," the brunet started while he steadied himself on his bicycle. Souji stayed still and listened intently. "We can't keep up like this. At this rate, we won't be able to make it back home at all unless we pass out on the street from exhaustion."

"I know," Souji whispered back. "But I can't find a way to shake them off."

Yosuke groaned. "There has to be something-ohh, wait... We can stop by a convenience store, right? I mean, whoever is following us just wants to know where we live, right? Or attack us in our apartment... A-anyway, they're following us for some whacky reason. So maybe if we buy some stuff and make it look like there're people other than us in the apartment..."

"...Ahh." Souji gave it some consideration. Yosuke's suggestion did make sense. If they could give their pursuer the impression that they had people over, or the idea that they were going to somebody else's apartment for a gathering, that would defeat the pursuer's purpose for following them around. "You're right. Let's head over to the nearest convenience store, then."

The moment the traffic light turned green, Souji led the way to the nearest convenience store, ready to put Yosuke's plan in action. They parked their bikes in the designated lots and entered the brightly-lit store, where they were greeted by an array of goods and an enthusiastic, long brown-haired cashier standing behind the cash register.

They spent a few minutes pretending that they were choosing between particular snacks and drinks while eyeing the entrance of the store. The feeling that they were being watched gradually died away.

Holding onto a bunch of snacks, Yosuke leaned sideways, closer towards Souji, and asked in a low murmur, "Doesn't seem like that guy's around anymore."

"Yeah..." came the soft reply from the silver-haired adolescent looking between the two different types of drinks in his hands. "But we still have to be careful. Let's wait for a while longer first."

They remained in the store for a few more minutes. Souji periodically checked his watch. He felt his body relaxing as time went by, and the voices of his Personas had quietened down, too.

Concluding that their stalker had given up, the pair heaved a sigh of relief. Yosuke placed the snacks back in their original positions, and Souji then handed him one of the drinks he was holding onto, which Yosuke accepted with a thanks. They headed towards the cashier to pay for their respective purchase.

"That will be 160 yen, please!" the cashier chimed.

Souji reached into his pocket to grab his wallet, and opened it up to take out some coins. He mentally calculated the sum of the coins' value. When it was just right, he flashed a smile of gratitude at the cashier for her patience and laid the coins down onto the small blue tray at the counter. As he was about to withdraw his hand, fingers that were not his own wrapped around his wrist.

_'-Eh?'_

"You..."

The silver-haired adolescent looked up sharply. It had been the cashier's hand grasping his in a death grip, and the cashier's voice he just heard. Her eyes were glowing red, and the edges of her lips had curled into a deranged smile.

"You...you're_ them_..."

Souji struggled to get himself free with Yosuke's aid, but to no avail.

The cashier giggled, removing a penknife from the stationery holder behind her.

"I won't let you get away..."

"What the hell is-"

She made a clean slice across Yosuke's left arm.

"Yosuke!" Souji cried out, watching helplessly as his best friend gave a yelp and cradled his arm. Crimson liquid trickled down his arm and dripped onto the tiled flooring. Souji glared at the cashier.

"I won't let you get away," the lady repeated, continuously rocking her head side-to-side as if she were in a trance. She raised the penknife, its blade stained with Yosuke's fresh blood, and brought it down.

Souji made a quick leap backwards, and the cashier accidentally cut herself instead. Surprised at the younger male's swift movements, she released her grip. Souji didn't waste any time in sprinting out of the store, making sure that Yosuke was following him.

"Wha-what the hell was that?!" Yosuke gasped, bringing his injured arm closer to his chest. "Shit, there's no way I can ride my bike like this...!"

"You'll have to sit with me," Souji said firmly as he handed his friend a spare helmet. The brunet was about to protest but Souji didn't give him that luxury. "_No_, Yosuke. I know it's illegal, but we don't have a choice."

Before Yosuke could reply, unfamiliar voices cut in. The words they spoke sent chills down Souji and Yosuke's spines.

"It's them...it's them..."

"Yes, it's them..."

"We must not let them get away..."

"Cut them...cut cut cut..."

The pair whipped around, and saw, to their horror, people whose eyes flashed crimson slowly being drawn to them like moths to a flame. There were people from all walks of life - students, businessmen, office ladies, even housewives - beginning to surround them. Psychotic grins were plastered on the strangers' faces as they inched closer.

Souji inwardly reminded himself to stay calm. "Yosuke, come on, we can-"

He was suddenly shoved onto the middle of the road, his scooter kicked away and far from his reach.

Yosuke, too, was forced to join him there not long after.

They were completely surrounded, with no possible path for them to escape.

"Cannot run away..."

"Now we can cut..."

"Cut until there's nothing left..."

With a violent shiver, Yosuke crumpled onto the ground. Souji instantly knelt down beside him. "P...partner...what should we do...?"

The silver-haired adolescent looked up, staring into the gleaming scarlet orbs that were dancing in delight. Determinedly, he raised himself to his feet, standing firm before the bloodthirsty crowd. "Who exactly are you?"

The entranced people refused to answer.

Souji frowned. "Why are you after us?"

He heard zombie-like groans, but no clear reply.

The leader of the Investigation Team remained unperturbed. "All this talk about us being 'them'... What do you mean by that?"

The people surrounding them suddenly stiffened. Then, the entire crowd drawled, "You are them... They are you... That is why we must cut..."

"...I'm afraid I don't-urgh!"

"Souji!"

Souji immediately placed a hand on his back, cringing as he made a swift turn to face his attacker who stared at him blankly with those hollow crimson eyes. It was the cashier from earlier, swaying as if she were listening to the beat of a silent song, seemingly unaffected by the stab wound in her arm.

Despite applying pressure to his wound, Souji could feel the warm liquid flowing out from his back. Still, he kept his gaze on the red-eyed crowd.

Yosuke brought himself to his feet shakily. "Are...are you okay, partner?"

"I'm fine... How about you?"

"Ugh...just swell." The brunet was still cradling his arm, though not as tightly as he did before.

The hypnotised crowd started to cause an uproar.

"They are still here..."

"Monsters...inhuman..."

"Don't get in the way of our love..."

They closed in on the injured pair, holding up all of the weapons they had in their possession. Most of them were fruit knives, some had kitchen knives, scissors, even pens and pencils...anything sharp and capable of cutting through human flesh was there.

And they were out for Souji and Yosuke's blood.

The brunet couldn't help but gulp. "S...Souji..."

The silver-haired adolescent closed his eyes. He hadn't realised that he was breathing heavily from the stinging pain his back had to endure. "We...need to...get away from here..."

"B-but _how_? Fight our way out? Dude, these aren't Shadows, we can't just-oh _crap_!"

Just as the blades were about to rain upon them, Yosuke pushed Souji down, away from the impact, while he himself barely dodged by falling to the ground. It resulted in the knives, coming from all directions, slicing through air instead.

While Yosuke's quick instincts had saved Souji from being ripped apart, shoving him down had caused an even deeper tear in his wound. The grey-haired adolescent bit back a groan as he applied more pressure to his wound.

"Sh-shit, _shit_, I'm sorry, Souji, I-I didn't mean to, I was just-"

The brunet felt his heart twist into a knot when he saw Souji's blood dye the rainwater a dull shade of red; against the road surface, it looked like a thin layer of maroon oil that had formed where Souji lied. Yosuke bit his lower lip, clutching onto his injured arm more tightly than before.

Moaning, the crowd raised their knives again, the gleam of the blades catching Yosuke's attention. He took in a sharp breath, watching the people around them bring the knives down, and then he closed his eyes, expecting a world of pain and blood the next time he opened them.

_**-Clang!...**_

Then all was silent.

Not a single person in the crowd spoke. The sound of the rain descending from the skies had been muted. Not even the sound of Souji's strained breaths reached his ears.

It was cold and quiet, yet there was this strange feeling of familiar warmth wrapped around him. And even though everything before him was dark, somehow Yosuke could see a dim, blue light. He briefly wondered if that was people normally called "the light at the end of a tunnel", the sure sign that a person was about to step over a line they could never cross again.

_'...Ahh, I must have died already... Quick and painless, huh? Heh...'_

Yosuke slowly let out the breath he had been holding in.

"..."

_'Wait did I just-'_

Without any second thoughts, Yosuke inhaled. The smell of rain and iron filled his nostrils.

His eyes snapped open, and his arms fell to his sides.

The rain was getting heavier steadily; a flash of lightning, and a clap of thunder followed. It pelted against the ground like hailstones in the harshest of winters.

The crowd was still there, their eyes still glazed over and glowing scarlet. Souji was still lying next to him and pressing onto his wound, though no longer panting like before.

"Yosuke..." Souji muttered, pushing himself with one hand to sit upright. "Look...above us..."

Dazed, Yosuke tilted his head back. Immediately he understood what Souji had meant, and his eyes widened at the sight.

Hovering above him was Susano-O, using the blades protruding from his neck and the large disc spinning around him to block the incoming attack. Next to him was Izanagi, who was using his naginata to protect the pair from the knives, which looked miniscule compared to the Personas' weapons.

"H...how? Why? This..."

"...I don't know." Despite sounding composed, Souji himself was just as astounded and confused as Yosuke was.

The people around them released a feral growl, and started to murmur among themselves.

"It's them, it's them...!"

"Kill them...kill them now!"

Detecting their animosity, Susano-O spun around and snapped his fingers, letting loose a gust of wind strong enough to blow the crowd off their feet. Izanagi took this opportunity to strike at them with his naginata, making neat slices across their bodies. They drew no blood.

Then, as if knowing that their job was done, the Personas faded away, the pale blue glow emanating from their bodies disappearing along with them.

Trembling, Yosuke got up to his feet, and looked around him. The people who desperately tried to cut them earlier were all strewn around the street, unconscious but clearly alive. "Our Personas...attacked them without us telling them to...? And...they're not hurt...? What the hell is going on?"

"I wish I-ngh..."

"Whoa, take it easy, partner!" The brunet knelt down beside his friend, who had tried to stand but ended up falling back to the ground when the pain erupted from the laceration on his back. "Okay hold on, I'll get Susano-O out here to heal you."

Wincing, Souji nodded. Yosuke then closed his eyes, his expression peaceful as he nudged his other self. The apparition once again manifested itself before the pair and held out a gloved hand directly above Souji's wound, pouring life into it.

But the god of storms that resided in Yosuke's heart was not Amaterasu or Kamui; all he had at his disposal was a Diarama, and there was only so much he could do with a less effective healing spell. Still, it did its job nicely.

"At least the bleeding's stopped," Yosuke commented while Susano-O faded away after healing up his own wound. "But we should get you to a doctor, just in case. Can't risk it tearing apart again."

"...Yeah..." Souji quietly sighed as he slowly got to his feet with Yosuke's support.

"Um, what do we do about...?"

The silver-haired adolescent glanced at his surroundings. "Call the ambulance, perhaps?"

Yosuke held back a laugh. "Man, they're gonna flip. I mean, this looks like some kind of mass fainting phenomenon or something."

Souji smiled at that. It did have a rather amusing ring to it.

With his friend's arm draped over his shoulder - their positions now a complete reversal of the incident at lunch two days prior - Yosuke took out his phone and keyed in the number for the ambulance. Just as he was about to dial the number, something that vaguely sounded like a horse's neigh from the distance distracted him.

* * *

She was sending Anri home when the girl suddenly gasped and nearly fell off her motorcycle.

The dangerous movement had caused the rider to panic and stop by the pavement. She asked after the girl's well-being, to which Anri insisted that she was perfectly fine. But something still seemed off, so the woman tried again, and Anri finally admitted it.

"...Something's wrong with Saika." That was what the bespectacled Raira Academy student had said.

After dropping Anri off at her apartment, Celty went in the direction of where a group of Saika's children had supposedly gathered. Anri said, a bit fearfully, that when she was still waiting outside Mika's ward, she had requested for them to keep an eye on two young men who just left the hospital, but for some reason, they suddenly started attacking them instead and weren't responding for her calls to stop.

That came as a shock to the Dullahan. Something like that had never happened before. She couldn't even begin to imagine just how terrifying it must be for Anri; first the Slasher slitting Mika's throat, and now Saika's children wouldn't listen to Anri's orders? It was frightening. Horrifying, even.

A flash of light interrupted her thoughts. Celty pulled her motorbike to a stop, and turned to face where the light had come from.

_'...? That's the place Anri-chan...'_

Without further contemplation, the Headless Rider took off, her motorcycle letting out a ghostly neigh as she drove towards her destination.

Upon her arrival, what she saw completely took her by surprise.

She had to twist and turn in order to avoid the people lying scattered all over the place before she could finally reach the two young men standing near the pavement. One was wearing a black jacket over a white turtleneck; the other had a pale pink shirt and a white coat on.

As she approached them, Celty noticed that the one in the black jacket had his arm over his companion's shoulder, and said companion's coat sleeve was ripped and stained with blood. She tensed at the sight, and hurriedly moved closer before she stopped right in front of them.

The brown-haired one jumped a little, which caused the grey-haired one to flinch.

Quickly she removed her PDA from her rider suit sleeve. [Are you two all right? Are you hurt anywhere?]

When neither gave her a reply - instead they settled for a perplexed expression - Celty erased the previous message and she tapped on the screen again before she showed it to the boys. [Sorry, I heard about what happened and I was worried that someone got hurt, so I came here to take a look...] _Tap tap tap._ [I don't mean any harm.]

That didn't stop them from staring, though.

Celty's shoulders sunk. What could she be doing wrong?

She typed out another message. [Um, it looks like you got caught up in that mess, so if you'd like, I can take you to the hospital to have your wounds treated.]

The brown-haired boy's eyes sparkled when he saw that. "Woah, for reals?"

Celty nearly heaved a sigh of relief, but the other boy was whispering something into his friend's ear; maybe he was still suspicious of her. But to her surprise, once he was done, the silver-haired boy flashed her a small, trusting smile, while the brown-haired one's jaw dropped.

"Thank you very much for the kind offer," the smiling boy said, "but we don't want to trouble you. Our injuries really aren't that major."

Celty would have none of that. [Oh, no, it's okay, really.]

He didn't seem willing to comply, however, and insisted that they could make it to the hospital by themselves. But the Dullahan didn't quite like the idea of leaving two injured boys alone by themselves in the depths of the night, especially when it was storming out, so she quickly thought of an alternative.

[No, it just doesn't feel right to leave you like this... How about I take you to a doctor I know instead? He's not too far from here, just along the Kawagoe Highway.] As she held up the device to display the text, Celty pointed to her right. After a moment, she returned to tapping on the screen. [Really, it's no trouble at all.]

The grey-haired one really was quite obstinate, Celty had to admit, but after a bit more coaxing on her end, he finally relented and took up on her offer. Part of her wanted to leap into the air in joy at her success.

"Uh," the one in the white coat spoke, "what about the people lying around here? Should I still call the ambulance?"

The empty helmet nodded.

"R-right, so, um..." He got down to dialling the number, fumbling with his phone while he did so. It was strange to see him so nervous all of a sudden.

Then she heard the grey-haired one chuckle. "Please don't take it to heart. He's just surprised to see you for the first time since moving here."

Celty couldn't help but tilt her helmet to one side innocently.

"Ah, well... You're the Headless Rider, after all...right?"

* * *

He was sitting by himself on the couch, watching the Ikebukuro Night Special when he heard the door click open.

Immediately the man in the lab coat hopped to his feet and skipped towards the entrance where a woman in a black rider suit was standing.

"Celty~ You're home~ Ohh, it was so cold and lonely by myself on the bed without you there to warm it u-ow ow ow that hurts, Celty, ow!"

Despite being in pain, the man was still wearing an affectionate smile on his face as he addressed his beloved and rubbed the area on his stomach that met with Celty's fist.

"...Hm?" He readjusted his glasses as he looked over the Dullahan's shoulder. There were two people by the doorway, one person's arm over another's shoulder, struggling with the simple act of removing their shoes. "Why are there two young men behind you, Celty?"

[They're injured. I brought them here for you to treat them.]

"Oh, how kind and compassionate you are, my dear!" Celty did not seem to be in the mood for his usual compliments, so he cleared his throat and continued, "But, well...wouldn't it be better for them to go to a hospital for that?"

[Huh? Don't you treat injuries?]

"No, no, it's not that... Ah, well. Since they're here anyway, I guess I'll take a look at them."

As if on cue, the two adolescents stepped onto the raised platform and entered the doctor's apartment. The man gave them a welcoming gesture as they slowly made their way towards him. "Come in, come in," he said, showing them the way to the couch in his living room. "I'm Kishitani Shinra. Oh, do have a seat."

"Thanks..." the brown-haired adolescent replied, carefully setting his companion down on the couch before he sat down himself.

The other looked like he was wincing, but the moment his facial features showed the slightest bit of discomfort, it was gone as quickly as it came. Shinra had seen many patients like him in his years of experience as an underground doctor, but to have someone that young...

"Sorry for intruding," the grey-haired teen added, breaking Shinra's chain of thought.

The doctor smiled. "Not at all, not at all. So, where exactly are you injured?"

"Oh, actually he's the one who needs it more than I do-_what_?" The brunet had muttered the last word rather harshly when his friend elbowed him in the side. Then they engaged in some sort of whispered bickering which Shinra thought was rather endearing.

"Yeah, well, anyway." The brunet had the last word in that short-lived argument, it seemed. "Sorry about that, um... Could you have a look at this guy's back? We got ambushed by some people with knives and one of them cut it open."

"Hmm..."

Shinra put on his surgical gloves as he walked to the rear of the sofa. He requested for the silver-haired adolescent to remove his turtleneck and bend forward, and carefully analysed the slash wound on the younger male's back when he did.

_'Ahh, interesting... Very interesting indeed...'_

"Okay," the underground doctor announced while the teen sat back upright, "thankfully it's not too bad, but you'll need some stitches to close it up. Just need to ask some questions before we go into that. Are you allergic to anaesthesia?" His patient shook his head. "And your last tetanus shot? When was it?"

"Two years ago," the adolescent replied readily.

"Alright then. I'll go prepare the room for you, so in the meantime, try not to move around too much lest you end up aggravating your wound."

The pair thanked him, and then Shinra turned towards the room which served as a makeshift OR. He saw Celty waiting for him at its entrance. "Ohh Celty! Are you that raring to go? Just a moment, dear, we'll have the whole apartment to ourselves soon!"

Instead of responding to that, Celty dragged him to the adjacent room and closed the door, then typed out a message using the laptop she had brought in. [Those boys were attacked by people who are possessed by Saika. But I asked them about it and they said they didn't hear a voice when they got cut.]

"...Huh." That certainly made the entire premise even more interesting.

[Are you sure they're all right? This is Saika, after all.]

"Oh, they're perfectly fine. Both physically and mentally," Shinra said reassuringly. "Though that's exactly why I'm surprised."

[What do you mean?]

"Well, most people would be shaken up after such an ordeal, right? But neither of them is showing any signs of that. I also noticed that the one with brown hair had his arm slashed, but he doesn't seem to be in pain at all. And the one with a slashed back is recovering extremely well... A little _too_ well, if you ask me. Lacerations like that don't heal so quickly, after all."

Celty mulled over his words for a moment before she typed out her response. [Are you saying that they're not...]

"Who knows? But from what I've seen and what you've told me, that does seem very likely."

[I don't sense anything peculiar about them, though.]

Shinra hummed thoughtfully. "Then, maybe they're just like Shizuo...kun..." As if he had just made a ground-breaking discovery, Shinra flapped his arms around gleefully. "That's it! They must be just like Shizuo-kun! Humans with extraordinary bodies! Yes! Oh Celty, you're amazing!"

[H-huh? But, I didn't do anything...]

"No, no, your observations were what helped me form my hypothesis! You deserve all the credit, my dear!" Then his eyes softened, his demeanour calm and composed, and said wholeheartedly, "I mean it, Celty. You really are amazing."

The Dullahan looked away and raised her hand to the side of the helmet, as if feeling her missing head blush in response to her beloved's praises.

Perhaps she might have been imagining it, but her helmet felt warm to the touch.

Shinra smiled knowingly.


	10. April 16 2013, Evening: Part Two

A/N: A straightforward chapter, after all the storm and suspense in the previous one lol. It's a pretty looong April 16 evening...

As usual, a big thank you to everyone reading/favouriting/following/reviewing this story! :)

* * *

**April 16, 2013**

The man was busily typing away on his keyboard, paying no attention to his guest seated on his sofa, who left her tea untouched.

She had been in that position for the past thirty minutes, at the very least.

Yet the inconsiderate host had spent those thirty minutes on his computer, ignoring the existence of another person in his apartment.

_'...And humming some ridiculous tune, too,'_ the guest thought to herself bitterly.

To say that Yagiri Namie was pissed off would be an understatement.

Not only did she have to make her own tea, but she also had to suffer her former employer who was the one that called her up and told her that he had found out more about Seiji's death. But when she arrived at his apartment, all the informant did was let her in and that was it. No new information to share, no witty remarks, _nothing._ Absolutely nothing.

"...If you asked me to make a wasted trip here, I'm leaving."

"Patience is a virtue, my dear Namie," Izaya responded smoothly without directing his attention away from the computer. "And I did not 'ask' you to do anything. You chose to come here of your own accord, did you not?"

Namie's eyes narrowed. "That's because you said you know something about what happened to Seiji. But from the moment I stepped into your apartment till just now, you haven't even said a damn thing. If you were lying to me-"

"Goodness, Namie, are you listening to yourself? When you arrived, I did tell you to make a cup of tea for yourself while you give me time to substantiate my findings. I wouldn't want you to leave in the middle of another of our meetings, you know." His eyes briefly wandered over to where she had been sitting. The smile never left his face. "And do you honestly think I would actually lie to a client? Really, Namie, your two years of experience as an information broker's secretary is as good as nothing. It makes me wonder what you have been doing exactly in the past few years working here."

Honestly? She wouldn't put it past someone like Izaya to get someone's hopes up and then dampen them just to see how they would react. She believed that she was no exception, and was simply another human whose emotions could be played with. He could be horribly twisted that way. Namie understood that, after years of putting up with him and ensuring that he would never be able to see through her.

But then again, it was probably too irrational of her to accuse him of lying at this point in time. While Namie was unquestionably just another human for Izaya to observe, she was also, first and foremost, currently the information broker's client.

And if there was anything Namie had learnt from working for Izaya, it was that informants don't lie to their clients.

Truth lies in information. Therefore informants, who pride themselves on dealing with information, are essentially dealing with the truth. To give false information to people who paid to learn the truth would be to admit that informants are no different from con artists, a grave insult to information brokers everywhere.

Even Izaya himself more or less stayed true to the principles of his profession, Namie once noticed with mild surprise. When he wasn't with a client, the man could fabricate anything out of thin air, just to get a kick out of misleading the humans he claimed to love. But where his reputation as an information broker was concerned, there was simply no room for mistakes. Sure, he might leave out some related bits and pieces of information - for all sorts of strange reasons - but it didn't mean that he was _lying_, technically speaking.

As strange as it might sound, Izaya did take his job very seriously.

"...Fine, whatever," Namie replied begrudgingly with an audible sigh. "I'll wait. But if you don't give me anything new in the next ten minutes..."

"I assure you, I am nearly done. I just need to do this-" The informant typed a few keys before he finally made a click with his cursor. "-and then I'm almost there. Just give it a minute or two." Then the man leaned back into his swivel chair and spun excitedly before he suddenly suggested, "Ahh, in the meantime, why don't we catch up a bit?"

Namie shot him an incredulous look.

"Hm, let's see... How have you been? Have you been getting enough rest recently?"

Those questions were so ridiculous and unprecedented that Namie couldn't help but say, "_Hah?_"

"I heard you've been busy nowadays. I take it you've found a new job, then? Congratulations."

"What on earth are you-"

"Or perhaps I should say-" Izaya promptly stopped spinning in his chair and glanced up from his desk, his auburn eyes meeting his former secretary's dark brown ones. "-my condolences."

Namie fell silent.

"You know, Mika-chan was probably the only one in the entire world who could understand what you're going through right now. After all, she was quite enamoured with your brother." The informant watched her like a hawk, his eyes glinting dangerously yet playfully. "But now, not only have you lost your brother, but also a potential sister-in-law. What a tragic outcome."

"..."

"Ah, I'm not saying that she's dead or anything. After all, you did tell your subordinate not to give her a life-threatening wound; just enough to land her in the hospital, didn't you?"

"...! What-"

"Well, what I'm referring to," Izaya continued, pretending to ignore his former secretary, "is you eliminating all of her memories of Yagiri-kun and forcing Shinra to perform another plastic surgery on her. Oh but then you realised that it would be risky to let her loose since she might recover her memories any time, so you sent someone to pose as the Slasher and cut her throat to render her mute. Rather cruel of you to do that, don't you think?"

Namie glared at him. _'How did he know? I made sure to check for any recording devices wherever I went.' _Her eyes narrowed to slits. _'More importantly, why is he bringing this up? It's not like it has anything to do with-'_

Then it all clicked in her mind.

_'...He lied.'_ Namie was seething. _'He wasn't looking for any information about Seiji's killer at all. He just wanted me to be here so that he could show off and then observe my reaction. The bastard...!'_

"...I was a fool to believe you," Namie finally managed to growl out. She quickly got up from her seat and turned to leave.

"Oya? I thought you wanted to know more about the case?"

Izaya sounded so calm Namie became even more convinced that he was screwing with her.

"Like I'd let you waste any more of my time."

"You really aren't a virtuous woman, are you?" Just as Namie was about to open the door, she heard a beep coming from one of the computers on Izaya's desk. "Ah, there we go, there we go." And then the sound of something being moved.

Namie paused in her movements. Cautiously, yet curiously, she turned around, and saw that Izaya had shifted his computer such that its screen directly faced her. The informant had also fallen silent for once, and simply gestured to the screen. Was he...?

_'...I shouldn't trust him. I know that. I know that, but...'_

But she loved Seiji too much to give up on any lead available, even if it was coming from Izaya.

Namie sighed, and reluctantly released her hold on the door handle before she made her way closer towards Izaya's desk to get a better look of what was displayed on the monitor.

What she saw had her completely taken aback.

There were three pictures, each showing a body draped over a different object. The first had a short-haired lady dangling from a rooftop antenna; the second, a young girl, dressed in a school uniform Namie did not recognise, tangled in telephone lines and hung upside-down on a telephone pole; and the third, a man hanging from the railing surrounding a water tank.

"W...What is...?"

The informant's smirk widened.

"Ne, Namie," Izaya spoke as he continued observing the woman standing before him. "Have you ever heard about this nice, peaceful town called Inaba, I wonder?"

* * *

"-a real magnet for all the freaky stuff. How can the people living there experience this on a daily basis and still remain sane, we may never understand. But one thing's for sure, you will never have a day of peace living in exciting, haunted Ikebukuro. You can always count on it for your daily dose of horrifying mysteries."

"Pretty mean, huh?"

The brunet and his companion turned in the direction of the voice, appearing a bit startled to see Shinra back so suddenly.

After his lovely exchange with his dear Celty, Shinra had left the room and prepared the makeshift OR in high spirits before making his way to the two teens in the living room. He was humming quietly to himself a little tune when he noticed that they were paying exceptionally close attention to the television programme that was being broadcasted.

The silver-haired teen visibly relaxed. "Ah...yeah... They said the same thing last year, though."

"Oh, so you live in Ikebukuro too?" asked the unlicensed doctor as he switched the television set off and led the way to the makeshift OR. His patient slowly followed with the younger brunet's help.

"Starting from last year. My friend here just moved a few days ago."

"Wow, it must be really tough for you then, getting caught in a fight on top of a murderer and the Slasher on the loose right after coming here." Although his words sounded like those spoken by someone who was worried about another's welfare, Shinra's tone clearly lacked such concern for the younger brunet behind him.

To his surprise, however, the adolescent simply said, "It's nothing, really. But thanks, Kishitani-sensei."

"Don't mention it," Shinra replied cheerfully, though part of him wondered why he was being thanked. "Oh, right, I don't believe I know your names yet."

"This is Seta Souji," the brunet replied while gesturing to his companion. "I'm Hanamura Yosuke."

Shinra nodded. "Souji-kun and Yosuke-kun, then. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

When they reached the room, the physician asked Yosuke to wait outside before thanking Yosuke for his help, then requested Souji to lie flat on the operating table. The silver-haired adolescent shivered when his bare skin met the cold material.

The underground doctor strapped on a surgical mask and changed his gloves. Then he injected some local anaesthetics into the patient's body before flushing the laceration with saline water. Said patient barely flinched during the treatment.

When preparations were complete, Shinra headed over to the operating table with the sutures in his hands.

"Now, Souji-kun," the doctor spoke, "although I've already administered the anaesthesia, the dosage is very mild, so you might feel a little tingle when I work on your back. But not to worry! It won't last very long."

Souji nodded unhesitatingly, giving Shinra the cue to begin suturing the wound. As expected, the silver-haired adolescent gave a little jolt when the sharp tip of the needle was introduced to his skin, but as the physician continued, he noticed that his patient gradually relaxed and wondered, then, if his patient had somehow grown used to the stinging sensation.

With the wound being rather long, stretching from Souji's right shoulder to his left hip, Shinra took quite a while to finish closing it up. Thankfully, Souji seemed to be a patient fellow with a high tolerance for pain, so he remained perfectly still and silent throughout the rest of the procedure. If Shinra had been any ordinary bystander watching this, he would have applauded the boy for displaying such bravery.

But alas, after meeting a certain blond at a young age...

"-And we're done!" Shinra announced gleefully as he flushed the wound again. "So, how are you feeling?"

"...A bit sore, but I think I'll be okay." Souji slowly shifted until he was sitting upright on the table, then he smiled. "Thank you very much, Kishitani-sensei."

"My pleasure," the unlicensed physician replied as he removed his mask and gloves. Then he opened the door and politely gestured for Yosuke to come in and help his friend out of the makeshift OR.

Shinra waited until the pair was comfortably seated on the sofa before he instructed, "Well, I suppose there's no need for me to say this, but just a precaution: no vigorous exercise until those stitches get removed. I also don't recommend lying on that back for the next few days or so, unless you're keen on provoking your cut and having a few sleepless nights." The doctor's voice carried traces of mild fascination and bemusement as he spoke of the wound. "Showering may be a bit of a hassle for you in your current condition, so soak in a bathtub instead. Just make sure not to get your stitches wet in the next twelve hours."

Souji was busy getting dressed while the doctor spoke, but Shinra could tell that the boy was listening intently, so he continued, "I'll call you back for a follow-up, so leave behind your contact number before you leave. Or you can drop by anytime when you think you don't need the stitches. I'm fine with anything. For now, I'll prescribe you some painkillers, but take them only when it's necessary."

After Souji was done, he nodded in concession.

Shinra then turned to look at the younger brunet. "Now how about you, Yosuke-kun? Do you need me to look at your wound too?"

"Huh? How did you-"

"I'm a doctor, Yosuke-kun," Shinra laughed. "You might not look like you're in pain, but ever since you entered the apartment you've been actively avoiding aggravating that left arm of yours. And there's a tear in your coat, see? There's blood on it."

He had to say, the sight of a confounded Yosuke taking a quick look at his injured limb and then concealing it from view like a kid hiding a present behind his back in order to give the recipient a surprise was rather amusing.

And Shinra was oh so very curious as to what kind of a surprise it would be.

"Oh? You don't want me to treat it?"

"Uh...it's not that..." Yosuke seemed to be struggling with his words.

For some reason, Souji didn't appear at all concerned about his friend's injury, and was, in fact, helping him hide the afflicted arm by shifting a little closer towards him. Although it was done elusively, such a movement wouldn't escape Shinra's eyes, which had been trained to watch and observe.

After years of cohabiting together with Celty, who could not communicate verbally, Shinra had learnt to pick up on each and every movement she made, no matter how subtle they were. While he would admit that he had eyes only for Celty, Shinra would more often than not notice every other person's actions as well, most likely due to the fact that he had grown used to reading Celty's body language, which was, in its own unique way, rather similar to that of humans.

So, the way Shinra saw it, the two young men before him were certainly being very suspicious by trying so hard to cover up just one arm.

_'Could it be that it has already fully healed and they don't want me to know that?' _That would further substantiate his earlier theory that the two adolescents possessed paranormal bodies that gave them intolerance to pain and speedy healing properties. _'Haha, now that reminds me of a certain idol I treated last year...'_

Shinra lightly shook his head. It wasn't the time to be lost in memories.

"Hmm," the doctor started, deciding to feign ignorance. "You really sure you don't want me to have a look? It'd be terrible if you get an infection."

Yosuke waved it off with his unhidden hand. "It's fine, really."

"...Well, if you say so." Shinra shrugged nonchalantly.

He had to admit, he did feel a bit disappointed, but after being denied the opportunity to study a particular ex-bartender's body for years, the underground doctor had grown used to being turned down. Besides, he had already seen Souji's wound and the extent of its recovery. That was thrilling enough. For now.

"Since there's nothing else, I'll go get you the-"

_**Whizzz... Whizzz...**_

"-huh?"

Shinra turned towards the direction of the sound. His eyes widened slightly when he saw what was unfolding before him.

The television set in his living room, which he had most definitely switched off before suturing Souji's wound, was somehow whirring to life.

The screen was flickering like a flame dancing in the wind. Strips of static rose from the bottom to the top of the screen, which was beginning to turn a sickly shade of dull yellow.

The two boys suddenly leapt to their feet.

"I-it's...!" Yosuke gasped, a stunned expression painted on his features.

Souji, in contrast, remained silent and composed, although his eyes widened when the television turned itself on.

But Shinra was too mesmerised to pay them much attention, for there, on the screen, was a faint shadow whose shape moved in tandem with the strips of static.

It looked like a human, but its face and attire were masked by what he assumed to be poor signal reception by the television set. And aside from its figure being distorted by the static, the shadow remained completely still, standing - was it even standing? Shinra couldn't tell - in the middle of the screen.

Then the entire screen went blank before it flickered back on. It was so abrupt that nobody in the room could even react to the addition of yet another shadow on the screen. Despite the blurriness, Shinra could tell that it was larger than the first shadow that appeared, and strangely it was...attacking the smaller shadow?

It seemed to be using its fists to land a hit on the other figure, which dodged every incoming attack as if it could read the larger shadow's mind. Or at least, that was how Shinra saw it.

…The reception was becoming so poor the entire screen was starting to be filled with static; part of Shinra wondered if his TV would soon sizzle and go up in smoke.

_'...Wait.' _The doctor pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and squinted. _'Aren't they...?'_

The image chose that moment to disappear.

Before anyone could speak, there was a loud _**Thump**_ coming from behind them. All three heads turned, only to be greeted by a woman in a familiar rider suit scrambling to type a message on her PDA. A wisp of smoke was swimming wildly above her neck.

[A-a-a-aliek&ns! T-t-thdjdve c#se otb in vks $u!]

"…"

While the two boys remained silent, Shinra was quick to respond. "Ah...hahaha, Celty, dear, please calm dow-"

[Cmal#/?! Thsds /$sr alieh&s w^re tkdla$&g abuti!]

"Celty, this might not be the work of aliens. I mean, well, if they wanted to invade us, they wouldn't want us to know, would they?"

The Dullahan's shoulders rose, and then they fell, as if she had taken a deep breath and released it. Her fingers trembled as they tapped on the screen of her PDA. [B-but...didn't they just use the TV to c-communicate with us?]

_'Oh man, she's so adorable...!'_

Shinra resisted the urge to say that aloud. "I think if they wanted to establish relations with the human race, they wouldn't do it here of all places, right?"

Celty remained still, appearing to be deep in thought. Subconsciously, her hand rose to where a chin was supposed to lie, but it only felt air. Celty looked around swiftly, and saw the yellow helmet lying on the ground. She must've had knocked it over in her shock earlier, Shinra figured.

As Celty knelt down to pick the fallen object up, she suddenly stiffened.

"Hm? What's wrong, Celty?"

Shinra turned around, and immediately understood.

Souji and Yosuke, whose presence had been completely ignored up till now, were still standing near the sofa, gazing at the Dullahan with widened eyes. Neither said anything as they watched the trail of smoke slither out of Celty's clearly headless neck and dissipate in the air.

There were two young men in his living room staring wordlessly at a headless supernatural creature whom he considered his beloved as if they had been scared stiff. What was an unlicensed doctor to do in such a situation?

"Um," was all that doctor managed to say.

What happened next, however, was even more astonishing.

"...Huh, what do you know," Yosuke finally spoke. He looked at his companion and chuckled as he tossed him a wink. "She really _is_ headless."

"So it seems." Souji nodded with a lighthearted smile on his face.

An awkward silence enveloped the room.

Shinra was the one who broke it.

"...Eh?"

* * *

**CHATROOM**

_Bakyura-san has joined the chat._

_Bakyura  
_Holy crap guys,

_Bakyura  
_did you see that?!

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Oh, good evening, Bakyura-san.

_Saika  
_Good evening...

_Kyo  
_Ah, what a wonderful time you chose to join us, Bakyura-san. So late into the night, yet so early into the next day... A time of metamorphosis and transition... There truly is no other time as mysterious and wondrous as midnight where we can all gather to exchange greetings and engage in intriguing conversations which are just as shrouded in mystery and excitement since

_Mai  
_?

_Kyo_  
I hit the word limit.

_Kyo  
_-since we have no knowledge of each other's identity in the real world. Should I wish you a good evening or a good morning, I wonder?

_Mai  
_Good evening.

_Bakyura  
_Oh right I forgot, good evening.

_Bakyura  
_Putting that aside...did you guys see that?

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Huh? See what, exactly?

_Bakyura  
_Man I don't even know how to put this...

_Bakyura  
_Did your TV like, turn itself on just now?

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Ohh, it did, it did!

_Kyo  
_You must be referring to the earlier phenomenon where the beautiful invention of man known as the television set suddenly sprung alive, its screen displaying a rather indistinct image our eyes cannot discern and our minds cannot comprehend.

_Kyo  
_This certainly reminds me of the tale of Frankenstein. A sad tale that was. I do hope you didn't abandon your television set because of what had happened.

_Mai  
_Kyo and I saw it, too.

_Saika  
_Um, me too...

_Tanaka Tarou  
_So the same happened to everyone else? That's strange...

_Bakyura  
_Yeah if it was just me, I would've thought it was just my TV going whacko.

_Bakyura  
_But since everyone else saw the same thing then something's weird going on.

_Bakyura  
_And why would I throw my TV away just because of that? lol

_Setton-san has joined the chat._

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Ah, Setton-san, good evening.

_Bakyura  
_Evening!

_Saika  
_Good evening...

_Kyo  
_And yet another unknown creature of the night to join us for this midnight enigma. Salutations, Setton-san. What a crowd we have here, despite the time.

_Mai  
_Good evening.

_Setton  
_G...good evening...

_Tanaka Tarou  
_What's wrong, Setton-san?

_Setton  
_O-oh, it's nothing, really.

_Setton  
_It's been a rather eventful night, so I'm just a little tired.

_Tanaka Tarou  
_I see...

_Bakyura  
_Shouldn't you be getting some rest, then?

_Saika  
_I'm sorry.

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Why are you apologising, Saika-san? lol

_Setton  
_Ah, um, I'll be fine, Bakyura-san. And it's okay, Saika-san. Forget about what I said.

_Setton  
_Oh, right, I just read the chat log. So everyone else saw this "phenomenon" too?

_Bakyura  
_Looks like it.

_Kyo  
_Truly a mystical sight to see, that was. A television set, clearly turned off, awakening by itself... To think that we could bear witness to such a spectacle! It seems that there really are amazing things aside from the Black Bike after all. And all these sightings, taking place in our humble, little Ikebukuro... It makes one wonder if there are similar phenomena in other places we have yet to explore. How little

_Kyo_  
our knowledge must be, then, when the world is so vast and most of its mysteries and wonders are unknown to us!

_Mai  
_Astounding.

_Bakyura  
_Are you sure you're not related to Kanra-san? You really remind me of her, for some reason.

_Mai  
_It's a secret.

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Uh, Mai-san, I don't think he was referring to you lol

_Tanaka Tarou  
_...But now that you mention it, I noticed that Kanra-san isn't here today.

_Setton  
_Hmm...you're right. Maybe she's already asleep?

_Bakyura  
_Maybe she's finally dead.

_Tanaka Tarou  
_B...Bakyura-san, please don't joke about something like that.

_Bakyura  
_Sorry.

_Bakyura  
_Couldn't help myself.

_Kyo  
_Alas, alas.

_Kyo  
_So it seems that even within the confinements of a chatroom, there are people who have such animosity towards Kanra-san. What a pitiful life she must lead, then, to be detested by countless others in the real world. But in my opinion, she certainly deserves it.

_Mai  
_Sad but true.

_Bakyura  
_Woah so you guys hate her too.

_Bakyura  
_Awesome.

_Tanaka Tarou  
_Um... I still don't think Kanra-san is that bad a person to deserve this...

_Saika  
_I agree... She seems helpful.

_Kyo  
_Alas. Still taken in by Kanra-san's sweet words, I see.

_Kyo  
_Such misguided beings you are, Tarou-san and Saika-san...

* * *

After the airing of the Midnight Channel earlier, a rather strange commotion broke out in the Kishitani household along the Kawagoe Highway.

It wasn't exactly a 'commotion', in the strict sense of the word, since the only person verbally speaking was the doctor. But with the way the headless person he was talking to flailing about and typing frantically on her PDA, there was no other word Souji could use to describe the scene.

He had to admit it was quite surreal, though, to find out that the Headless Rider was truly headless.

For Celty-san, however, she probably hadn't expected to reveal what lied within the helmet to them in such a manner, so she had promptly retreated into a nearby room and locked the door the moment she broke out of her stupor. Souji and Yosuke were, simply put, very surprised to see that.

Kishitani-sensei had laughed, then. "Isn't she adorable?" he had commented.

Then, as if he could tell they knew something he didn't, the doctor dived straight into a pool of questions about what exactly happened, how such a phenomenon could occur, who the figures being shown on screen were, and so on and so forth. The pair was practically being flooded with his enquiries. Souji could more or less answer them, albeit being very brief and vague with his replies. They knew they weren't being very fair to him like that, especially since he had been so kind to treat Souji's wound.

But more importantly, Shinra had said that he knew who the two people shown on the Midnight Channel might be.

So it was decided that they would return the following day to give a proper and detailed explanation to both Shinra and Celty. They owed the two that much.

In return, Shinra offered to waive off the consultation and treatment fees, as well as tell them everything they needed to know.

"Well," Yosuke finally spoke, after a long moment of silence that had descended when the pair left the doctor's apartment, "we didn't exactly have a choice back there, did we?"

"This arrangement benefits all of us, though," Souji replied, but inwardly he understood Yosuke's reluctance.

After all, how could you just walk up to a complete stranger, say that you could enter TVs and summon Personas, and expect the stranger to believe you weren't a nutcase? Dojima still had some difficulty in believing the existence of the TV world, and he was Souji's biological _uncle_.

...But then again, Kishitani-sensei lived with someone who had no head. Perhaps that made a whole world of difference.

"Yeah, I guess." Yosuke shrugged. "Anyway I'll go over to Kishitani-sensei's after I visit Harima-chan in the hospital to do the explaining first. Head down there when your lecture's over and sort things out with Kishitani-sensei and Celty-san. We'll see how things go after that."

Souji was fine with the suggested arrangement, except for one tiny detail. "You're going back to the hospital tomorrow?"

"Erm...yeah..." Yosuke tried not to fidget. "You know how we can suddenly call out our Personas in this world now? I was thinking that...maybe Susano-O can heal Harima-chan's wound. I mean…I really don't know what else I can do for her."

Souji had no objections to that, deciding that it might be for the best if he didn't interfere too much. It was, ultimately, something Yosuke had to solve by himself.

"I understand," the leader of the Investigation Team said reassuringly. "Go for it, Yosuke."

Although he couldn't see it, Souji knew that his friend was smiling.

And with that, the pair continued their way back to their apartment, with Yosuke riding Souji's scooter and Souji sitting behind him.

* * *

**WE ARE S.S.I.D. - ONLINE HEADQUARTERS**

**No one is online**

**No one is online**

**Myriad Truths has logged in**

_Myriad Truths  
_It's just as we thought.

_Myriad Truths  
_The Midnight Channel is back.

_Myriad Truths_  
…And there's...something else we need to tell you guys.

_Myriad Truths_  
...

_Myriad Truths_  
Maybe I'll say it only when everybody's online...

**Myriad Truths has logged out**

**No one is online**

**No one is online**

…


	11. Interlude: To Face Oneself

A/N: Alternative title: "April 17 2013, Early Morning".

My longest chapter ever. Whew. I considered splitting this, but later decided against it since the sections that make up this chapter all carry a recurring theme. Future interlude(s) will usually contain sections that share the same motif, which is why they will be titled and can be either ridiculously short or incredibly long. Haha. I haven't exactly planned that far ahead as to be able to tell how many interludes this story will have...

Also, do be on the lookout for a particular character~ I hope I have written them well! *nervous*

As always, thank you for reading/following/favouriting/reviewing this story! :)

* * *

**April 17, 2013**

The Midnight Channel is back.

That was the first thing she saw when she had logged into the group chatroom and checked the log, like she usually did every morning.

Seeing that message left behind by her leader was, admittedly, rather unsettling. But that was because the return of the Midnight Channel, the double-edged sword that played a pivotal role during the murders two years back, was enough to confirm that the case in Ikebukuro was indeed related to the case in Inaba. And since Souji - and by extension, Yosuke - must've had seen it, that meant that somebody appeared on the programme the night before.

And by following the usual pattern...

_'...They will have to enter the TV world in order to save the victim,_' she realised, anxiety starting to build up within her.

No matter what the circumstances were back then, the team always went in using the large television in Junes' electronics department since it led to a place that was void of any hostile Shadows. Whenever they placed their hands on the screen, they did so with the belief that they would enter safely and not have to worry about getting ambushed by violent creatures capable of taking their lives effortlessly.

But there was no way of telling if Souji and Yosuke could find such a safe entrance in the vast city they now lived in.

And there was "something else" too...

_'I have to leave... I have to go help them.'_

Even as such thoughts filled her mind, however, she didn't take any action.

As the manager of the Amagi Inn, there were many areas that Yukiko had to take into account before she could arrive at a decision. She couldn't be so selfish as to leave the town straight away and push all the responsibilities of being a manager back to her mother. On top of that, the inn was particularly busy during this period of time; if she were to leave so suddenly, what were the staff to do with nobody around to delegate duties and run the inn?

There were the chefs, waitresses, room service crew...so many people that she was responsible for. There was simply no way Yukiko could leave them alone.

But if she had to be completely honest...part of her wanted to run away.

It wasn't because Yukiko felt burdened by taking over her family business. Not anymore.

She just wanted a taste of life outside Inaba, a taste of how it was like to be independent. While she truly loved Inaba, Yukiko wanted to spread her wings and explore what lied beyond this quiet little town.

And now an opportunity presented itself before her.

She knew, however, that if she took it and experienced for herself a life without the inn...she might not want to come back. And such a possibility frightened her.

_"Yet you still want to leave, don't you?" _Yukiko's grip on her kimono tightened. _"You just wish you could abandon your life here and go somewhere far, far away. Well, this is it. This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just tell everyone that your friends in the city are in trouble and need your help. It's the perfect excuse to get what you want."_

_'…That's-'_

"Yuki-chan?"

The raven-haired girl quickly looked up. "M...mother..."

The former manager brought up a hand to cover her gaping mouth. "Is something the matter, Yuki-chan? You look so pale...! Do you feel unwell somewhere?!"

"N-no, I'm fine. Really. I'm just..." Unable to look at her mother in the eye after her internal struggle from before, the manager looked away, her hands quivering.

Amagi inhaled, then released her breath. "Yuki-chan, are you worried about your friends in the city?"

_'...Eh?'_

Yukiko couldn't help but glance up, then. The former manager flashed her a reassuring smile. "You and your friends were caught up in that terrible case two years ago, weren't you? Dojima-san came over to tell me about it some time ago."

"H...huh..." Yukiko briefly wondered just how much did Dojima-san reveal about their involvement with the case.

"And then I remembered that pleasant boy you used to make lunches for... Seta-kun, was it? You mentioned that he's now living in that particular area where that body was found."

Yukiko could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. "I-it's not only Seta-kun, Mother...! Th-there's Hanamura-kun, too."

"Oh my, no wonder you made so many boxed lunches back then."

"Ahh...Mother..."

Amagi giggled. "I'm just kidding." Then, she looked over the manager tenderly, like a mother would her newborn, and nodded, mostly to herself. "But you know, Yuki-chan... You're already all grown up now. You should know how to think for yourself without us telling you what to do. So...if you believe that you need to be with your friends, then..."

Yukiko instinctively brought both her hands to her chest and took a quick step back before recovering. "Eh...?! Mother, what are you saying?! I...I can't just..."

"It's alright, Yuki-chan. Yes, the inn needs you. _We_ need you. But right now, your friends need you more, and we can't be so selfish as to keep you here knowing that."

"..."

"Don't worry about us, Yuki-chan. We can handle things by ourselves until you return. Why, I wasn't the manager for nothing, you know!" The former manager chuckled at that.

Yukiko stared at her mother blankly, and then she finally allowed herself to smile. _'That's right... Here, there are people who love and cherish me. The people who knew, right from the start, that I didn't want to be the manager; that I wanted to run away. And yet, they believe that even if I were to leave, I'd come back..._

_'...No more doubting myself. Not when there are so many people who believe in me. Yes, I still want to run away. But I'll come back. After all, I won't be able...to find people who could love and accept me like everyone at the inn can...'_

The young manager pursed her trembling lips, and nodded shakily. "Thank you... Thank you, Mother..."

Amagi smiled.

-And somewhere, deep within Yukiko's soul, Amaterasu shone brightly in approval.

* * *

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't punish you, Satonaka."

"Erm... Because I...am a good cadet...?"

"A good cadet," the officer paused to give her a pointed look, "wouldn't use her phone knowing very well that it is against the academy rules. Especially when you were expected to fall in with the rest of the cadets."

Chie couldn't help but wince. "I'm really sorry, Inspector sir, but it was an emergency."

"I don't see how logging into an online chatroom can be considered an emergency. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me on that?"

Except that it'd be kinda useless, because no matter how Chie could try to twist things around, she knew that the police inspector would see it as some sloppy excuse to escape the consequences of her actions.

Still, Chie figured that she should at least try. "Uh... That's the only way my friends can contact me? A-and they only use it when something serious has happened, so I thought I-"

"Satonaka," the inspector cut in quietly, "why do you want to become a police officer?"

"H-huh? 'Why'...?"

_"Because I'm a coward,"_ a familiar voice suddenly sneered in her head. _"I'm as worthless as dirt on the ground, but I'm scared to admit it. Who cares about protecting innocent people? I just want others to see me as someone who is far more capable than who I really am."_

...Maybe so, but Chie knew that wasn't completely true. Upholding the law, maintaining peace... Didn't most people aspire to become cops to do just that? Chie felt that the same could be applied to her as well, but while she didn't believe herself to be any different from those people, perhaps her reasons ran a little deeper than the usual textbook answer.

After the murders happened, Chie realised that, over the course of the entire year, she had developed a true sense of pride and love for the town she grew up in. Sure, it didn't have anything special, and the people living there weren't especially outstanding, but it was the place she was born in, and the place where her family and friends were.

It was the town that she and her friends fought so fiercely to protect.

So from the bottom of her heart, Chie wished she could have the power to protect the town in order to protect the people living in it. Maybe she was still a coward, but that didn't change the fact that she truly wanted the best for Inaba and its townspeople, and if there was any way she could do to help, Chie would gladly take it.

And if that meant being a cop capable of protecting those dear to her, then Chie would do just that.

Suzuka Gongen gave a firm nod.

"...Because I want to protect people," she replied, confidence bursting forth from within her. Disregarding the unimpressed look on her superior's features, Chie continued, "Two years ago, there was a serial murder case in my hometown, Inaba, and the culprit was someone on the force. He said...that he became a cop just so he could legally carry a gun."

The inspector raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing.

"If lots of people on the force became police officers for selfish reasons like that, it's unfair to the normal people, isn't it? I mean, they wouldn't feel safe. So I...I want to become someone who can protect them. That's why I want to become a cop, sir."

"...I see." He still didn't look that impressed with Chie's answer, but at least he had stopped giving her the hard, cold gaze. "An interesting reason, but still rather commonplace, understandably. I will accept it, however."

Chie just barely heaved a sigh of relief, but remembered where she was and stopped herself.

"I asked you this," the auburn-haired man said, "because I want you to recall the very reason why you are here right now. Satonaka, you're a bright one. Even though it's only been a few days, I've been told by the other officers that you've got the potential to go far, and I'm happy to hear that. But it is precisely because it has only been a few days that I'm appalled to see you breaking the rules. For that, you have to be punished."

The brunette flinched. "I...I understand, Inspector."

"Good. Now-"

_**Pipipipi! Pipipipi! ... Pipipipi! Pipipipi! **_

Both of them turned towards the source of the sound - a cell phone lying on top of the inspector's desk, its screen flashing as it vibrated and rung incessantly.

The man glanced up at Chie curtly. "...Excuse me," he spoke, before he grabbed the phone and turned, his back facing her as he answered the call.

Chie spent the next few awkward minutes staring at the ground blankly. _'...I'm gonna get punished for using my phone by a police officer who is using his phone. How ironic.'_

"Satonaka."

Chie nearly leapt at the mention of her name. "Y-yes sir?"

"You may pack your things and leave."

"...Um, huh?"

"I'm granting you official leave to settle that 'emergency' of yours."

Chie was dumbfounded. "Eh? But..."

The inspector ignored that. "Make full use of it, Satonaka. I expect you to be back once you're done." Then he looked at her sternly. "But don't misunderstand, this doesn't mean you won't be made to stay back on weekends to make up for all the training you've missed. You best be prepared for that."

The brunette was so shocked and happy that she didn't know how to respond. When she realised that she had been staring at the inspector with her jaw dropped for quite some time, Chie blinked out of her stupor, and then raised her foot and stomped as she fell into an upright position, giving her superior a salute.

"Tha...thank you, sir!"

The inspector flashed her the tiniest of smiles.

* * *

"I believe you heard that, Shirogane. Now, could you please elaborate on why you made such a strange request?"

Naoto resisted the urge to sigh. She knew there was no running away from this, especially not after she gave the man a call out of the blue just to ask him to let a cadet off. If she had a choice, however, she would've had preferred to keep things from him.

But there were no qualms about it. Satonaka-senpai was crucial to the team. Everyone was. It would be extremely unfair to the rest, therefore, if any of them couldn't turn up when someone had the power to lend their assistance.

And in this case, purely by a stroke of luck, Naoto happened to have the contact number of the police officer overseeing the training of this year's batch of cadets in her possession.

"It's just as I said, Inspector," the detective replied calmly. "I am acquainted with Satonaka Chie-san. I understand that it was inappropriate for me to request for you to give Satonaka-san official leave without a valid reason, but there has been an emergency and her presence is essential, thereby necessitating this call."

Naoto heard the man sigh. "That isn't what I meant, and you know it, Shirogane."

Yes, she supposed she did, unfortunately. She had been hoping she could avoid giving the inspector all the details, but the both of them were probably too sharp for their own good to not notice the subtlety behind each other's words. It was strangely refreshing, however, to have such a conversation with an esteemed member of the force like the inspector himself.

Most of the others she had had the...privilege to meet often labelled her as a child at first sight and treated her as such. Even though she was now approaching the age of eighteen and no longer concealing her gender, they remained firm in their belief that she was incapable of great accomplishments in this - she loathed to admit - male-oriented and adult profession.

So having a man, who held a respectable position on the force and had many years of experience, taking her seriously and having a mature conversation with her was certainly something worth treasuring.

"...Yes, you're right, Inspector. It is true that Satonaka-san...no, Satonaka-senpai and I are acquainted. We were once students of Yasogami High School situated in the town of Inaba. And...we are members of an unofficial investigation team that pursued the truth behind the serial murder case that had taken place at that town two years ago."

"...I knew it. No wonder the air around Satonaka struck me as familiar somehow... After I looked through her file and heard about her reason for becoming a police officer, I became even more convinced." A pause. "Shirogane, be honest with me. You and Satonaka, and the other members of that team... You're all Persona-users, aren't you."

Naoto's eyes widened.

"In...Inspector."

"Don't bother covering it up. I sensed it at the very moment of our last reunion. The air around you... It felt different from how I remembered it. And there is also the fact that you've changed ever since the Inaba case was resolved. It can't all be a coincidence now, can it?"

Naoto drew in a slow, steady breath as she contemplated over how to proceed.

The first thing that flashed through her mind was to lie. But that would be futile. In fact to do so thinking that she would get by was tantamount to insulting the inspector's interrogation skills. Naoto had no desire to learn about what unthinkable consequences making that decision would result in.

The next was to simply tell the truth, but what good would that do to the team? There was no telling what the inspector would do with the knowledge that they were Persona-users. Even though Naoto knew him personally, she hadn't exactly built that much of a rapport with him to the point that she could predict the man's every action.

_'...That isn't my expertise, after all,'_ the detective mused, almost sourly. For a reason unknown to anyone but her.

_"There you go again, your mind wandering off on its own instead of focusing on what's at hand. Your attention span is still like that of a child's. It's no wonder the grown-ups still think of you as one. Except that it's worse now, isn't it? What with everyone treating you like a little _girl_? Huh, Shirogane Naoto-_chan_?"_

Navy blue eyes narrowed.

_"When was the last time you've been called to a case involving a major crime? The last time you actually pulled out that gun to apprehend criminals? The last time people sincerely needed your help? You know it better than anyone else." _A cackle. _"Let's face it, you still wish you had gone through that bodily alteration procedure, don't you...?"_

"...Shirogane?"

Naoto finally released the breath she had been holding, automatically shutting the taunting voice out as she continued the conversation, "I'm sorry. I was...thinking. About the matter you have brought up."

"I understand." The inspector didn't sound convinced at all, however. "If it inconveniences you to explain everything to me, Shirogane, it's perfectly fine. All I want to hear from you is whether my deduction was right...or not."

The young detective closed her eyes. "Before I go into that, Inspector, may I ask one question?"

"You may."

Naoto held back a resigned sigh. "Inspector, you mentioned that I changed after the case in Inaba was resolved..." Her grip on her cell phone tightened slightly. "Do you truly believe that it is a positive one?"

There was silence over the phone before she heard the man sigh and say, in an affirmative yet soothing tone, "...Naoto. You had been hiding the most important part of yourself for such a long time, and now that you've finally decided not to, you're hesitant about that decision. And I understand that. So if you really want an honest opinion...when I heard about your decision from Shirogane-san, I was truly happy for you."

"...!"

"What you were doing before... I wouldn't say that it was entirely wrong of you, but over the years, Naoto, I saw that passion of yours towards your work being masked by your determination to present yourself as the ideal detective defined by society. That, to me, diminished the meaning of becoming a detective in the first place. But you seemed resolute on that, and furthermore I am in no position to lecture you, so I left you be in the hopes that you would rediscover your passion, but I didn't think-"

The man had paused, then, before he continued, "Regardless, you have succeeded, and for that, I am relieved and happy for you. Whatever it is that is making you hesitate, Naoto, be it society or yourself, remember that what's most important is for you to be true to yourself. So...don't be afraid to change if that's what you believe you ought to do."

Naoto was stunned.

_'...Yes, that's right,'_ she thought to herself, after carefully considering the inspector's words._ 'I made a promise to Senpai and the others. That I would not fear change, but embrace and encourage it. What society thinks of me shouldn't affect my decision to change...not anymore. As long as the fact that there are people who would accept everything about me remains, nothing else matters.'_

Yamato Takeru danced about merrily. Naoto stifled a giggle at that.

"If it's of any comfort to you..." the inspector suddenly spoke, capturing Naoto's immediate attention, "_that_ never goes away. Even when the years have passed and you have become older, wiser, jaded...there will be some part of you that will always remain. But that is exactly what it means to be human, I suppose."

...Now the man sounded like he was no longer referring to her alone, but someone else. And possibly even-

"...Inspector...?"

A melancholic sigh. "...Never mind. Forget I said that."

* * *

When Kanji heard about the message his senpai left on the chatroom from Yukiko, the first thing he did was to bolt out of Yasogami High's school gates before lessons even started.

_'The hell? Why is the Midnight Channel back? We caught the bastard and beat the shit outta that Izanami, didn't we? And what's this "something else" Senpai can't say till everyone's online? What the hell is going on...?!'_

Such thoughts rampaged through Kanji's mind wildly as he dashed down the path leading him back home.

The moment he reached the entrance of Tatsumi Textiles, the adolescent roughly shoved the door open and ran up to his room on the second floor. He scrambled to pack some random clothes into the largest bag he could find, and hurriedly checked every corner of his room for the glasses made by Teddie.

Kanji was flipping his futon over when he heard someone say, "Who left the door open...?" Then he turned, and saw an elderly woman make her way up the steps. She stopped when she noticed his presence. "Huh? Kanji-chan?"

The black-haired teen dropped whatever he was holding, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "M-Ma..."

"What are you doing here? Don't you have school today?" His mother continued her way up the stairs and walked towards him. "And what are you doing with that bag and pile of clothes? Are you going away on a school trip again?"

Kanji inwardly cursed at himself barging in unprepared; he knew his mother was usually at home, so he should've had expected to see her, but his mind was so caught up by what had happened in Ikebukuro that he hadn't considered that.

"Uh, this ain't what it looks like, Ma..." was the first thing that came to Kanji's mind.

The elderly woman looked confused for a moment. "Oh, so you're not packing for a school trip? Then what are you packing for?"

"I'm, uh..."

He wanted to tell her the truth so that he could leave without feeling the guilt of lying to his mother. But then Kanji thought about it carefully. If he were to leave for the city just like that, he'd be leaving his mother behind in Inaba. Managing the store, all alone, with no one to take care of her.

That wasn't how he should be treating her. She deserved better than that. Better than-

_"Better than a messed-up son like me." _Kanji directed his eyes to the floor, almost ashamedly. _"Liking things that only girls enjoy doing... Picking fights with gangs... I'm always causing her trouble. And now that I'm finally doing something good for her, I pack up and leave her behind. That's great. That's great, Tatsumi._

"_Y'know, maybe Ma'd be happier without me. Yeah, that's right... No matter how great she is, maybe, all along, she..."_

Kanji could feel his mind starting to go haywire and his heart thumping like a sledgehammer at that. Fear and self-directed disgust were beginning to swell up within him. He felt his fingers curl into tight fists without him consciously commanding them to.

"...? Kanji-chan, what's wrong?"

'_Everything about me_,' he had wanted to tell her, but he was so numbed by the fear of his own mother rejecting him that Kanji couldn't even get his voice working.

"Really, Kanji-chan, what's wrong? You're starting to get me worried..."

Kanji didn't want to think of all the other instances when he made her worried.

"...Ma," he finally managed to choke out, glancing up from the ground to look into his mother's eyes. He drew in a sharp breath before he exhaled, and loosened his fists. "Senpai and Yosuke-senpai are in trouble, so I...I'm leavin' Inaba. To help 'em out. And I...I 'unno when I'll be back."

The entire room fell silent.

Even as he turned his head away, Kanji could feel his mother's questioning gaze directed at him. It was painful, being looked at like that.

He could just imagine it: soon his Ma would scold him for trying to play truant, and then disappointedly leave him be. She'd probably not send him off, too. And maybe, just maybe, she'd find out that she was happier that way, without having to bother with a son like him anymore.

So when he felt warm, wrinkled fingers brush against his cheek tenderly, as opposed to what he had imagined, Kanji held his breath and found himself unable to release it.

"My Kanji-chan has grown up to be such a fine man now," his mother murmured. "Always thinking about the well-being of others instead of your own, even going so far as to leave the town in order to help them... I'm so proud of you, Kanji-chan."

Kanji stared at her dazedly before stuttering, "B-but Ma, I..."

"Yes, I know, my dear. I know why you're reluctant to leave. But I don't mind, Kanji-chan." The widow smiled wistfully. "It'll be lonely, yes...but knowing that you're doing it for your friends makes me happy. You didn't have any friends when you were younger, so I was worried about you, but looking at you now, and the you two years ago after that nice Seta-kun came along, I realise...I don't have to anymore."

"...Ma..."

Tatsumi nodded. "It's alright, dear. Your ol' Ma here will be just fine by herself. But most importantly, Kanji-chan, I want _you_ to take good care of yourself when you're in the city. Ma won't be there to look after you, so do it for me. I don't want to see you back with a bug you caught there, you know."

Kanji's eyes widened. "Ma, you...you want me to come back?"

"What? Of course I do! Where on earth did you get such a silly idea that I don't?" She laughed as if she had just heard the worst joke in her whole life, before she turned and left the room, muttering something about train tickets and sending someone off.

Kanji, on the other hand, wanted to bang his head against the wall repeatedly for ever doubting his own mother.

This was the person who raised him single-handedly without any complaints. The person who had to experience the pain of losing a loved one, and still had the courage and perseverance to care for a son that gave her nothing but trouble. Even when the townspeople gave her shit for all the things he did, she took it all with a smile and never once doubted him.

And yet here he was, doubting this very person's love for him when it was so damn clear that she did.

_'...Man, what kind of son am I?'_ Kanji thought, inwardly laughing at his stupidity and cowardice. _'I'm so scared of being rejected that I didn't even believe my own Ma… But I shouldn't be this scared anymore. Some wimp who's scared shitless of being rejected that he's started rejecting everything around him - that ain't all there is to me, after all.'_

_"IT ISN'T," _a familiar voice, sounding much too similar to his own, boomed in his head. Kanji flinched at the sudden mental outburst.

Then, he stifled a chuckle, and continued packing.

* * *

_"You should just leave them be."_

"N-no, I-"

_"What point is there in mingling with humans? They understand not your predicament, neither can they fathom the pain such meaningless gatherings bring you. You should abandon them...return from where you came from..."_

"I...I don't understand what you're talking about."

And he honestly didn't, no matter how hard he tried to. Teddie thought and thought...just like he used to do after he first met Sensei and the others. But this time, Teddie could understand nothing about what the scary voice had said.

Pre...predicament, was it? And pain? Meaningless? Why, Teddie never thought of himself and everyone else that way!

_"You are a Shadow, the same kind of monsters you and your so-called 'friends' had been fighting some time back," _the voice continued mercilessly. _"And being with them hurts you, because you know that you can never be what they are... Human. You are simply a Shadow, a manifestation of the inner thoughts of the creatures known as humans. Why try so hard to achieve the unattainable? You should just return to the fog...return to the blissful lie, where you don't have to suffer anymore..."_

Teddie shook his head harshly, his breaths becoming quick and short. "No...! Y-you're wrong! I don't want that... I don't ever want that!"

The voice chuckled. _"Perhaps not...but once you recover all of your memories, you'll understand..."_

But hadn't Teddie already remembered everything? How could there be anything else he wasn't remembering, then?

He knew he was a Shadow, and that Shadows couldn't live together with humans - Nao-chan called it "co-existing" - but Teddie was here in the human world right now, wasn't he? And Sensei and the others said that Teddie wasn't like the other Shadows because he developed something called an "ego"... So, didn't that mean that everything else before Teddie met Sensei wasn't important to him anymore?

"I...I don't want to understand..."

Because Teddie had a feeling that if he did, maybe Sensei and the others wouldn't want him around anymore. And then maybe...maybe he'd revert back to a normal Shadow again. Something like that was just...

Teddie really didn't want to think about it anymore. "Just go away!" he cried, clutching his head. "Sensei... Yosuke..."

Teddie needed them. Desperately.

Whenever he was at a loss, Teddie would always turn to Sensei for help. But after Sensei left, Teddie found himself relying more on Yosuke instead. Sensei was still the better listener, but Yosuke was... Teddie didn't know how to put it.

While Sensei made Teddie believe that he could do anything as long as he tried, Yosuke was the one who showed him what it really meant to live. Yosuke took him in, and gave him a place to stay, where he saw and felt love. From Yosuke, from his mom, even his dad; Teddie saw what it was like to have a family. And through that, Teddie felt alive.

Now Yosuke was like a second Sensei to him. Of course, there was no replacing the original Sensei, but Yosuke was special to him too. So if Teddie were to face any trouble, he knew he would have at least one of them to turn to.

It wasn't like Teddie couldn't rely on the others. They were all great, and Teddie loved them all. But Sensei and Yosuke were…different somehow. Maybe it was because he was the only one who was together with them when they both awakened to their Personas?

Teddie didn't know. All he did know was that right now, he wished they were here with him. He wanted them to tell him that everything would be okay; that he didn't have to leave even if he might one day no longer be the Teddie everyone knew.

"Teddie?"

The blond whipped around, and immediately let his arms fall to his sides the moment he saw who was behind him. "Na...Nana-chan..."

Nanako tilted her head to the side innocently. "Are you alright? You don't look too good..."

"U-uumm..." Teddie shook his head. "I'm okay, Nana-chan. I was just... I was just thinking about Sensei and the others."

"...Oh." Nanako casted her eyes downward. "So Teddie misses them, too..."

"...Un," was all the blond could manage.

"It's not so bad, though. Teddie's here, and so are Yukiko onee-chan and Kanji onii-chan, so I'm not lonely at all," Nanako said with a quiet giggle.

Teddie bit his lower lip, suddenly realising what the whole thing could mean to her.

With Sensei, Yosuke, Chie-chan, Rise-chan and Nao-chan gone, all that was left of their group in Inaba was Yuki-chan, Kanji, and Teddie himself. Nana-chan was already lonely enough with Sensei leaving, but now...

Now the last few of the team would have to leave, too.

Teddie couldn't bring himself to tell Nana-chan that. It was just too cruel.

"But if..." Nanako murmured, keeping her head low. "...if Teddie and Yukiko onee-chan and Kanji onii-chan need to leave, I understand."

Teddie's eyes widened. "Eh...?"

Nanako shuffled her feet. "Dad said that Onii-chan and Yosuke onii-chan are in some kind of trouble. And that they need everyone's help." She raised her head and gave Teddie a bright smile. "I don't really get it, but if Onii-chan needs you and everyone else there, then I hope everyone can go! It'll be lonely, but I've got Dad with me, and my friends from school too, so I'll be okay!"

"...Nana-chan..."

"Onii-chan and Yosuke onii-chan must be lonely, too. And I know that if Teddie is there with them, everything will be okay, so..." The girl ran up and held Teddie's hand in both of her own, her eyes gleaming and her face wearing a broad, cheerful smile. "So don't worry, Teddie!"

_'...Everything will be okay...?' _Teddie felt a warmth slowly envelope him upon hearing Nanako's words. _'Sensei and Yosuke and everyone else... They need me...? A Shadow like me…?'_

"Nana-chan..."

Nanako looked a bit sad. "I've got school, so I can't send you off... But I'm here now, so..." Brightening up, she exclaimed, "Come back safely, Teddie!"

"...!"

Then, for the first time since the breaking of dawn, Teddie smiled. "I…I will! Thank you, Nana-chan!"

Kamui leapt up and down euphorically.

* * *

In a recording studio located in Shibuya, as early as seven in the morning, a popular high school idol who had made her grand return to showbiz one year ago was being worked to death.

"No no no, you were off-tempo at that last part. Do it again."

She did.

"Hmm, not quite good enough. Your words were slurred over. Let's record it again."

And they did that.

"..."

The music director turned to give the man responsible for the vocal recordings an accusing look. "I-I'm sorry, I forgot to record that!"

All the staff present sighed. The music director shook his head. "I understand we're all tired right now. Fine, let's rest for a moment. Except for you," he said, pointing at a bespectacled man. "You, come with me. We need to work out the details concerning Risette's schedule. The rest of you can take a break."

Heaving an exhausted sigh, Rise reached up to remove her headphones and dragged herself out of the recording area into her dressing room. The brunette immediately collapsed into the sofa, and gave out another sigh.

"Ugh...are they trying to literally bury me with work?" the idol muttered to herself, tiredly taking out her pink clamshell phone and tapping on the keys. "I wonder if Senpai was online yesterday...huh?"

Hazel eyes glanced over the text rapidly and repeatedly. Rise bolted upright. "No way... So it really is...!?"

Staring at the screen, Rise took a deep breath. Then she clammed the phone shut and placed it beside her on the couch. "What should I do...? If Senpai and the others are gonna go inside the TV, they'll need Kanzeon, but I can't just leave-"

_"Oh yes, you can," _a voice Rise was all too familiar with rang in her head. _"Be honest with yourself. You want to quit being an idol again, right? Ever since you returned to the stage, it's been "Risette this" or "Risette that", non-stop. And for what? Being overshadowed by other idols who are more popular than you are? Just admit it, you're so sick of it, aren't you?"_

...It was true. Just partially, though. But that didn't mean that Rise was denying that she did feel a little troubled.

She couldn't bring herself to tell the others lest they got worried, but... When she first announced her decision to return to showbiz a year back, she was met with a rather lukewarm response from the general populace of the city, where she used to carve a name for herself. Rise thought that was to be expected, considering how people living in the city were like and how fast-rising stars from rival companies - and even her own - were gaining widespread popularity after she left the industry.

Inoue-san was the only one in the company she used to belong to who was truly happy about her return. He even made a special request to be her manager again. It made Rise feel bad about how she had treated him when he took the trouble to go all the way to Inaba to persuade her back to the stage.

But that was it, really. Aside from starring in some small-scale ads and landing herself in a few minor roles in dramas, she pretty much had nothing to do. On the other hand, Rise saw for herself how her seniors in the profession, especially Kasuka-senpai and Ruri-senpai, were involved in loads of promotional work and made multiple appearances on the silver screen over the course of just a few weeks. Even her juniors were quickly becoming more well-known than she was.

Inoue-san had worked particularly hard in order to give her something to do so that she could regain her "former glory", as he had put it, and Rise was extremely grateful to him, but it didn't make her feel any less discouraged.

Until one day, a golden opportunity presented itself before her.

Rise remembered having had to undergo a complete makeover, then, in order to appear more presentable for the starring role in a movie alongside Kasuka-senpai. It was her first time working with him, so Rise was a little nervous, but she did her job well and the movie became a big hit despite the initial outcry about the lack of Ruri-senpai.

Soon after that, directors and producers of all sorts started contacting her manager, giving Rise all the chances she needed to regain her footing in the entertainment world. At first, Rise was really happy about the work and critical acclaim she was getting, but in the end it wasn't enough to match the prowess of Kasuka-senpai and Ruri-senpai's names nationwide.

So the company gave her even more work to do, which she had to accept begrudgingly. It was like taking away her time to be Kujikawa Rise and brainwashing her into becoming a 24/7 Risette; it was insane and absolutely exhausting.

It even made Rise question herself again and again: was she Rise, an ordinary high school student born in the humble town of Inaba, or was she Risette, the outgoing and bubbly teen idol trying too hard to climb up the popularity ranks?

But now, looking at the messages her Senpai left on the chatroom, and thinking back to the time when she was still in Inaba...

_'They're both me, aren't they?' _Rise mused, recalling the resolve she had made and the conversations she had with Senpai two years back. _'And it's not just that... There are a whole lotta people besides them who are also me...who are all Kujikawa Rise. I don't have to choose one or the other when they're all me at the same time.'_

Rise nodded to herself.

_'I'm Rise, your average high school student born in Inaba. I'm also Risette, the teen idol who takes everything she's fed with a smile. And I'm also-'_

Then, there was a knock on the door. "Rise," a muffled male voice spoke, "it's me, Inoue."

"Oh. Come on in."

Her manager briskly entered the dressing room, keeping his head low as he flipped through the notepad in his hand. "It's about your new schedule. The director and I have had a discussion, and he said that if everything goes smoothly for the morning, he'd be able to have your album released by early May, so in the meantime, we'll need to arrange for press conferences to promote your new album. Is that alright with you?"

"Mm-hm," Rise replied, nodding readily.

Inoue seemed mildly surprised, but recovered quickly. "Okay then, I'll relay your consent to the higher-ups. As for the venues, we'll start off with Shibuya first, since-"

An idea struck the idol there and then.

"Wait, Inoue-san."

The idol's manager looked up from his notes. "Yes?"

"When's the earliest we can start doing all the promotion work?"

Inoue lightly pushed his spectacles up the bride of his nose. "Uh...well, if you're keen, we can start after your recording session today."

Rise's eyes sparkled. "Say...then can we start with Ikebukuro first? Right after the recording?"

"…Hah?"

At Inoue's baffled expression, the brunette couldn't help but let out a giggle.

_'-And I'm also Rise, a proud member of a team that investigated the kidnappings and murders in Inaba two years back...and someone everyone else can be proud of, too.'_

Kanzeon sung quietly, but joyfully.


	12. April 17 2013, Daytime

A/N: Two major references in this chapter, one to the older Persona games and the other to the Durarara! novels. Don't worry if you can't catch them, though. I will give a detailed Author's Note on all the references I made in this story, once this story is complete, so explanations will definitely come. (Someday...)

There's also another minor reference to the Persona series in general, which I think most of you can pick up on. Haha. :)

Thank you for reading/following/reviewing/favouriting this story!

* * *

**April 17, 2013**

"You sure you don't need me to send you there?"

For the umpteenth time that morning, Souji chuckled and shook his head. "Yes, I'm sure, Yosuke. I'll be fine going to the university on my own."

The brunet rolled his eyes. "Yeah, says the guy who couldn't get any sleep last night because of a diced back."

Souji was tempted to challenge him, but in hindsight, Yosuke wasn't wrong in saying that and expressing his concern. Even though Souji listened to Shinra's advice, he still couldn't get enough sleep anyway, since he wasn't used to sleeping on his sides; his body would instinctively shift such that Souji could sleep like he always did, but that was absolute murder on his patched-up back.

But something else about what Yosuke had said struck him as strange.

"How did you know I couldn't sleep last night?"

Yosuke seemed genuinely surprised. "What, so you were up all night for real? It was just a lucky guess."

...Well, that did make sense. While he had been trying not to show it, Souji was admittedly rather sleep-deprived so it wouldn't be all that unusual for him to slip up a bit. And considering that they were such good friends, even the tiniest tell-tale sign wouldn't go unnoticed.

"I see," Souji replied thoughtfully before he got up, his shoes properly put on. "Well, I'll be going off now. I'll text you when my lecture's over."

"Ah, right. Be careful, dude."

Souji nodded and waved back to his friend. Then, after closing the door behind him, he began to make his way to Raira University.

Stepping out of the apartment building, Souji was welcomed by the wet and cool air in his surroundings. As the breeze brushed against his face, he could feel the dampness present in it, a clear sign that it had rained heavily the night before. Almost instantaneously, his nose started to itch, so the adolescent quickly buttoned up his jacket and took out a piece of tissue paper, just to play safe.

The walk to his university was uneventful, thankfully. Unlike the previous night, Souji wasn't detecting any malicious intent directed at him anymore, neither was he attacked by strangers for no apparent reason.

But being extremely cautious by nature, the leader of the Investigation Team occasionally looked over his shoulder to see if anyone suspicious had been stalking him. The fact that he found no such person did little to reassure him. Sometimes Souji wondered if he had always been this wary of his surroundings, or if it was a habit he developed over the course of leading his team in a world fraught with unknown perils.

In the end, Souji made it to the School of Psychology campus safely, and felt more at ease, then. He slowly walked over to the lift, and got off on the second floor where his designated lecture theatre was located.

Souji was about to enter the lecture theatre when he noticed something glistening at the edge of his vision. Instinctively he glanced to his right, but found nothing except for another lecture theatre nearby. Shrugging, he lightly shoved the door open and stepped into his designated lecture theatre.

It was quite vast, capable of holding three hundred undergraduates, allegedly. And it was almost filled, too. But it didn't look like the lecture had already started, so Souji wasn't worried about his punctuality and leisurely made his way up some steps to a vacant seat when a voice stopped him.

"Ah, Seta-kun."

Souji turned around. "Oh, Professor."

Out of politeness, Souji walked down the steps and towards the elderly man who had taught him on his first day in this university. The professor stroked his now slightly hairier chin. "I see that you made it in time. I was about to begin. Good for you."

"Thank you," Souji replied with a natural smile.

"I hope you didn't get lost and enter the wrong lecture theatre on the way here." The man paused to chuckle. "Though that isn't possible, since this is the only lecture theatre on this floor."

_'...? But, just now-'_

"Professor, isn't there another lecture theatre just a few steps away from us?"

The professor raised an eyebrow. "No, not at all."

Souji frowned slightly. He was sure - no, absolutely positive - that there was another theatre. He even saw its number, in large blocked symbols that had been embedded into the wall. There was no way he could've had just imagined the presence of a whole lecture theatre that was even numbered.

"Forgive me for asking," the freshman said, "but...is there a LT21 in this school?"

Now both of the professor's eyebrows were arched. He scratched his chin absentmindedly, his eyes rolling to his left as he sifted through the memories archived in his mind. "Well, that sure does ring a bell... I'm certain that I've never seen a lecture theatre numbered as twenty-one, though. Perhaps it was one of those halls that got relocated to another school. I never did pay attention during staff meetings, after all. Hahaha! You really are quite the odd one, Seta-kun, to ask about that!"

Seeing the professor suddenly break into merry laughter, the other undergraduates present started murmuring to each other; from where he had been standing, Souji could hear hints of impatience, as well as tinges of confusion and amusement, all at the same time.

But more importantly, the professor himself appeared to be too distracted to notice if Souji were to slip out. Doubts flashing through his mind, Souji quickly but subtly turned around and pushed the theatre's door open lightly before rushing out of the hall. He stood by the entrance, pulling the door shut, and then directed his attention at what was across him.

And sure enough, there it was - the LT21 he had claimed to have seen.

It looked like any other ordinary lecture theatre: large doors; numbered plates dangling at its entrance and exit; its given number boldly painted across its width. Yet it gave off this mystical aura which felt...familiar, somehow, and to add on further, if his professor couldn't see it, that must mean-

Without any second thoughts, Souji placed his hand on the handle and pushed the door open.

"...!"

It was just as he had suspected, yet completely unexpected at the same time.

For it was much more massive than when he had last visited the place.

There was even a short flight of stairs leading to an elevated platform, where there were a few unfamiliar faces.

A long-haired man near the edge of the platform, appearing to be in his thirties or so and wearing a pair of shades, was standing before an empty canvas with a brush in one hand and a palette of paint in the other. He was wearing a simple-looking attire and a red beanie, and looked like a professional painter in every single angle possible.

Directly across him, on the opposite edge of the platform, was a woman covering her ears, and dressed in a low-cut gown, its top dyed a pale purple with a violet butterfly imprint, and its bottom a deep, soothing bluish purple. Her hair, appearing as alternate strips of blue and white, was slicked back. Her mouth hung open as she sang a soothing song, her melodious voice reverberating in the vast, velvety space.

Next to her was a navy blue-haired pianist, donned in a suit that shared the same shade of blue as his hair. A light blue cloth masked his eyes, acting as a blindfold. His fingers danced across the keys of a deep blue piano as he played the woman's accompaniment.

And sitting in a chair right in-between the two extreme ends, with a familiar blonde woman standing next to it, was-

"Well now... What an interesting turn of events."

A low, amused chuckle.

"It seems that you are destined for far greater things than I could ever hope to imagine..."

* * *

"I see... So that's what happened."

Resting comfortably on the doctor's sofa as he retold the story, Yosuke nodded.

Shinra hummed thoughtfully as he leaned back into his couch, taking a nonchalant sip of his tea, which had turned cold and stale. "To think that a serial murder case in a rural town like Inaba was of a paranormal origin... There really _are_ a lot of mysterious things out there in this world."

Then he put down the cup of tea and redirected his attention to the younger brunet. "Well, let me recap what you just told me to make sure I heard it right. Basically, people who showed up on this 'Midnight Channel' were the next to be kidnapped and killed, yes? And you and your friends possess this power called 'Personas' that enables you to rescue the potential victims by entering through television screens and fighting creatures known as 'Shadows'?"

"...That's basically it, yeah."

The edges of Shinra's lips curled into a smile as his eyes sparkled with morbid fascination. "I would love to see you and your friends in action someday, then! It'd be such an honour to be able to study this amazing power and these Shadow creatures you speak of in greater detail!"

Yosuke immediately bolted upright. "Um, wait, you...you really believe me?"

Shinra tilted his head to the side innocently. "But of course! What's not to believe?"

Yosuke could only stare at the underground doctor in utter amazement.

While it was a relief that Kishitani-sensei didn't write his story off as a mere lie like what most people would do, Yosuke hadn't expected the man to accept it so readily. He even wanted to study about Personas and Shadows when he never even saw or heard of them before this day. That was just...mind-blowing, for lack of a better word.

"So, Yosuke-kun," Shinra continued excitedly, like a child on Boxing Day, "are you able to summon your Persona in this world?"

Yosuke flinched. His mind wandered to memories of the previous night, when he and Souji got attacked by those crazy red-eyed people, and then it drifted to the memories of that morning, when he went to visit Harima-chan in the hospital. The brunet considered his answer carefully.

Then he finally sighed, and said, "...I...I don't know."

"Hmm? You don't? Have you ever tried?"

Yosuke fidgeted. "Well...when I first got my Persona, I tried calling him out when I got out of the TV, and it didn't work, so I figured that it was just a TV world thing...but last night, when Souji and I got ambushed, our Personas... They appeared without us telling them to."

The unlicensed physician kept his eyes on the younger brunet, using silence as a cue for the younger brunet to continue.

"But this morning, I tried again. I-I thought he'd come out, after what happened last night, but..."

"...he didn't," Shinra finished.

"...he didn't," Yosuke confirmed.

Indeed. After Susano-O made such a showy appearance last night, Yosuke had thought it would be a lot easier accessing his other self now. So, as he had initially planned, he went to the hospital where Harima was staying at with the intention of healing her. But when he was there and mentally nudged Susano-O, the Persona just wouldn't appear.

He tried and tried, again and again, but to no avail. Yosuke even came close to literally begging Susano-O for help, but it all amounted to nothing. All he could do was stare helplessly at the unconscious girl lying on the hospital bed, listening to her pained wheezes.

Yosuke sighed. "I'm so useless..."

"Huh? Did you say something, Yosuke-kun?"

Yosuke glanced up. "Uh...n-no, it's nothing." He inwardly slapped himself for saying something so pathetic out loud. "Well, enough about that. We can discuss in greater detail some other time. Right now, I need to learn more about the case."

"Oh, that's right," Shinra replied, nodding, though he did seem slightly disappointed at the change in topic. "You want to know who the next victims might be."

"Yeah... Kishitani-sensei, you told us yesterday that you know who the people that appeared on last night's Midnight Channel are. So...who are they?"

"Well, it's not like I can tell for sure," the physician said. "But I definitely found those figures familiar. The shapes, their actions... They're oddly similar to Shizuo-kun and Orihara-kun, I find."

Finding the names vaguely familiar, Yosuke thought back to the events that had unfolded after he first moved to Ikebukuro. "You mean... Heiwajima Shizuo-san and Orihara Izaya-san?"

A momentary look of surprise swept across Shinra's features. "Oh, you've heard about them already? Hm, but then again, maybe that shouldn't come as much of a surprise..."

"Souji and I bumped into them a few days back. Not much later, Simon-san from Russia Sushi told us about them." Folding his arms, Yosuke leaned back into the sofa. "Now that I think about it, it makes sense for Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san to be the ones who appeared. After all, them being the witnesses who discovered that body is the talk of the town now." Then, the brunet lightly shook his head. "But, to have two people appearing at the same time...?"

Shinra looked at him curiously. "So being the talk of the town is related to the Midnight Channel? And no two people have appeared on the programme at the same time?"

"Well, in a way, yeah… And no, it's always been just one person." Yosuke's brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed slightly, painting a rather grave expression. "We'll tell you all the details about the Midnight Channel when there's more time. Right now, we gotta go warn Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san about them being the next targets."

"Warn? Shizuo-kun and Orihara-kun?" The underground doctor bit down on his lower lip. "Heh... I wouldn't worry about them if I were you."

"Wha-but they could be thrown in at any moment!"

"Relax, Yosuke-kun. They'll be fine." Shinra waved offhandedly. "I've known them personally for more than ten years, you know. And I've had the pleasure of watching them fight and treating their wounds for the past decade, so I know, very well, the extent to which they can protect themselves." He couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle. "Really, it's the killer you should be worried about, not them."

Yosuke shook his head. "No, Kishitani-sensei, you don't understand-"

"They'll be fine," Shinra repeated, the smile still plastered on his face. "Just ask Celty. She's seen them get at each other's throats, too. Right, honey?"

The doctor looked over his shoulder, expecting the Dullahan in the black rider suit to be standing somewhere in the living room and listening to the earlier conversation.

But Celty was nowhere to be seen.

And for some strange reason, the door leading to the main entrance was slightly ajar, as if someone from the apartment had dashed out in a hurry and forgotten to close the door properly.

Shinra stared after the door.

"...Honey?"

* * *

On the rooftop of Raira Academy, a private high school in West Ikebukuro, three students had gathered together to engage in an idle, friendly chat over their boxed lunches.

It was their own way of spending their usual lunch break at school, a habit that was cultivated during their first year in this school and now part of their normal everyday lives.

They hadn't always been together, though, with one of them leaving not only the school but Ikebukuro altogether towards the end of their first year. And while the remaining two tried their best to stay together as friends, the circumstances during their second year made it near impossible to do so, and they gradually drifted apart.

But after Masaomi came back and set things right...

To Ryuugamine Mikado, a person who sought a non-everyday life, something as ordinary as spending time with his two closest friends had become a jewel that had a special place in his heart. Something that, he felt, should always remain as part of his life.

Part of Mikado hoped that they could all stay out of the recent happenings in Ikebukuro, for once; it was a miracle that he, Masaomi and Anri could still remain as friends after everything that happened in the past two years. And Mikado really didn't want them to be caught in any more danger like they did in those two years, so when everything was finally settled and over and done with, Mikado was so relieved he couldn't ask for anything more.

Still...he wouldn't deny that there was another part of him that yearned to get involved in what was going on now.

"-ado? Oi, Mikado!"

"Uwah!"

The raven-haired boy gave a jolt when his childhood friend snapped his fingers right in his face.

Masaomi grinned. "What were you spacing out for? Oh! Lemme guess... Having dirty thoughts about our erotic and adorable Anri here, huh?" His brows raised up and down playfully as he hung his arm over the blushing Mikado's shoulder.

"M-Masaomi! Mou~" Mikado whined. "See? You're making Sonohara-san uncomfortable!"

"E-eh? I-I'm fine..." the bespectacled girl stammered, fidgeting. Her cheeks were tinted with pale shades of pink.

Masaomi gave an encouraging pat on his childhood friend's back. "Aww, look at you. I bet you have naughty, naughty thoughts about Anri all the time, but you're just too shy to admit it," he said as he poked Mikado's cheek lightly before he stole a glimpse of Anri's red cheeks. "Man, you two are too adorable for your own good."

Mikado and Anri flushed furiously at that comment.

Masaomi laughed heartily before waving it off. "Okay, okay. Seriously, Mikado, what got you thinking so deeply like that? It's not like you to space out when Anri is talking."

"...Eh?"

The raven turned to face his classmate, who avoided his gaze when she noticed that he was looking at her.

"She was telling us about..." Masaomi paused, his features slowly pulling into a light frown, "...something that happened last night. About her...well, you know."

Mikado's eyes widened slightly before a look of guilt and shame was plastered onto his face. "I...I'm sorry, Sonohara-san, I-"

"No, no, it's okay," came Anri's quick, but quiet, reply. "I-it's nothing Mikado-kun and Masaomi-kun should be concerned about..."

Mikado's heart sank.

Whenever Sonohara-san said something like that, it normally signalled the end of the conversation, and that never failed to make Mikado especially upset since it wasn't easy getting Sonohara-san to open up in the first place. Mikado could understand her difficulties. Really. It was just that after all the storms and tribulations they had weathered together, Mikado thought he had become someone Sonohara-san could depend on.

Like...like a close friend.

So even though she had some kind of demonic sword living inside her, that shouldn't stand in the way of their friendship. At least, that was what Mikado thought.

"Don't say that, Anri," Masaomi said. The blond flashed Anri a bright smile. "Me and Mikado - we're your friends. Of course it should be something we gotta be concerned about."

Mikado beamed. "Masaomi..."

His childhood friend gave him a thumbs-up.

Anri stared at Masaomi for a moment, appearing to be considering his words carefully, before she directed her gaze to the floor. "...Yes, I...guess that's right... I'm sorry, Mikado-kun, Masaomi-kun."

"Aww, don't apologise, my dear angel~" the blond replied chirpily.

"Y-yeah, please don't apologise, Sonohara-san," Mikado said. "So, um...what happened?"

"Right... Um...r-remember when we were doing our cleaning duty, Mikado-kun? Wh-when two people came and talked to you?"

"Talked to-oh, you mean..." Mikado paused. "...Seta-san and Hanamura-san, was it?"

Anri nodded. "On the day Harima-san was attacked...I saw them at the hospital where Harima-san was staying at. They heard about what happened...but it's strange. They were there before I was."

"Huh, so they somehow knew that Mika got hurt, even before you did?" Masaomi folded his arms, his frown deepening. "Sounds fishy to me."

"Yes, I thought so too...so, I-" Anri stopped and hung her head even lower than before, appearing as though she were withdrawing into herself like a turtle into its shell. "I...asked someone to...keep an eye on them... But then, it suddenly turned into a whole group that attacked Seta-san and Hanamura-san. And they didn't listen when I asked them to stop..."

Mikado and Masaomi's eyes widened.

Anri shook her head. "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have made the request for someone to follow them..."

Mikado shook his head at that. "But you weren't in the wrong at all, Sonohara-san."

"Yeah, for all we know, they could be followers of the Slasher. You just wanted to play it safe," Masaomi agreed.

But despite the encouragement, Anri refused to look at either friend in the eye, and kept her eyes on the ground. "Still, if I hadn't done that, then...maybe Seta-san and Hanamura-san wouldn't get hurt..."

"You didn't mean for it to happen, Sonohara-san," Mikado responded. "Maybe the Slasher managed to take control of them to attack Seta-san and Hanamura-san."

That got Anri finally looking up. She, along with Masaomi, stared blankly at Mikado, as if he had just said something incredible.

"...Whoa, Mikado, why didn't I think of that?" Masaomi ran his hand through his dyed hair.

The raven-haired boy looked baffled. "E-eh? I just said what came to mind, though. I mean, it's not definitely true, right?"

"Well..." Anri spoke, her voice now slightly raised. "I did lose connection with the group that attacked Seta-san and Hanamura-san... And when I tried contacting them again, nobody responded."

Masaomi nodded. "Yup, that must be it, then." Raising a finger to his chin, the blond hummed thoughtfully. "The Slasher... Whoever this person is, they must have been targeting the Seta-san and Hanamura-san you two have been talking about. So when Anri gave that order, the Slasher took that opportunity to hijack it and tell a group of past Slasher victims to gang up on Seta-san and Hanamura-san."

Mikado frowned. "But...why wait until Sonohara-san gives an order? Can't the Slasher issue one on their own?"

"Hmm, no clue." Masaomi shrugged. "Maybe it's related to what happened last night too."

"Last night..." Anri quietly echoed to herself before she said, "Do you mean the TV?"

Masaomi tossed her a wink. "As expected from my smart and capable Anri~ That's exactly what I- Eh, wait, you mean you saw it too?!"

"Y-yes," Anri replied, a bit startled at Masaomi's outburst.

The blond turned to face his childhood friend. "Mikado, you saw it too, right?"

The raven nodded, then he spoke, "So you think the Slasher victims not listening to Sonohara-san and our TVs switching on by themselves might be connected to each other?"

"It's just a random guess." Masaomi sighed. "Man...it looks like weird things are starting to happen to this town again..."

"Weird things..." Mikado trailed off.

It was true. Things had become relatively peaceful when the colour gangs became inactive after Masaomi's return last year. Even though the Slasher did make a reappearance some time after that, it wasn't as serious as the case two years back, so generally residents of Ikebukuro all led rather normal lives.

But what shook up that peace first, triggering the subsequent chain of events, had been Yagiri-kun's murder three days ago. Of course, it was nothing compared to the Hollywood killings last year, but the position Seiji's body was found in was weird enough to garner some attention. And then, there was also a rumour going on in town...about Izaya-san and Shizuo-san being the ones who found the body.

What made the whole situation even weirder was the appearance of Seta-san and Hanamura-san. Prior to that day, Mikado had never met Seta-san before, not even during school hours, and then that Seta-san appeared along with another stranger named Hanamura-san, asking about Yagiri-kun's murder. They even mentioned something about rainy days and televisions. It looked and sounded as if they knew what was going-

_'...Eh? Rainy days...and televisions...'_

Were they...referring to what had happened last night? Was that the "strange rumour" Seta-san and Hanamura-san were asking about? After all, hadn't it been raining last night?

_'Could it be...?'_

That Seta-san and Hanamura-san really _did_ know what was going on?

And then there was also the fact that they somehow knew about Harima-san's attack...and how, for some very strange reason, the Slasher victims only stopped listening to Sonohara-san when Seta-san and Hanamura-san were concerned. On top of that, Mikado distinctly remembered Sonohara-san looking..._scared_ after meeting Seta-san and Hanamura-san that day.

It was too suspicious to chalk it all up as just a simple coincidence.

Yagiri-kun's death... Harima-san's amnesia and subsequent assault... Seta-san and Hanamura-san... The Slasher victims... Televisions coming to life on rainy nights...

"-do! Heeey, Mikado! ...Ugh, you leave me no choice. Mikado!"

"U-uwaaaah! Don't scare me like that, Masaomi!"

"You were spacing out again. What was I to do?" the blond replied, shrugging.

"Well, you didn't have to make that weird face at me..." Mikado pouted.

"The usual method didn't work well on you." Masaomi grinned cheekily. "Putting that aside...ehehe~ You were definitely having dirty thoughts about Anri, weren't you?"

Mikado groaned, "Oh, not this again..."

"That's the second time you've spaced out, you know," Masaomi continued. "And I caught you smiling this time, too, so don't bother trying to deny it! Why else would a young, developing man like you be smiling to himself for no reason? Huuuh?"

"Th-that sounds ridiculous," Mikado was quick to reply. He could feel the blood rushing to his face. "A-and look, you're making Sonohara-san all uncomfortable again!"

Anri jumped a little. "Huh? Oh. Um...it's okay, Mikado-kun."

"Ahh, changing the subject, eh?" Masaomi teased, winking at his childhood friend. "That just makes you even more suspicious... So what _were_ you smiling for, if you weren't having dirty thoughts, hm?"

"That's…"

At Masaomi's question, Mikado fell silent, casting his eyes away.

Thinking back to what was going through his mind before Masaomi interrupted him, all Mikado had been doing was listing down the recent happenings in Ikebukuro that were most likely linked to one another in some way. He didn't realise that he had been smiling at all, for he didn't find anything about the current situation worth smiling about.

Yet Mikado was caught doing just that.

The Third Year felt an odd sense of déjà vu. Like he had been asked a similar question before.

That's right... Wasn't it just last year when-

_"Because Senpai..." _the face of a young boy flashed through his mind, _"Mikado-senpai, aren't you..."_

Sapphire eyes narrowed slightly.

_"So what _were_ you smiling for, if you weren't having dirty thoughts, hm?"_

Mikado looked up, and saw a grinning Masaomi who was anticipating for an answer. The edges of his lips curled into a tiny ghost of a smile.

...What, indeed?

* * *

[...And that's what Yosuke-kun said.]

"Hnn..."

Celty stole a glance at her companion. [Um...] she started out hesitantly after erasing the previous message. [Shizuo, did you catch all that?]

The blond blinked, and then put a lit cigarette to his lips. He took in a deep breath, letting the toxic fumes infiltrate his lungs, before releasing it as a puff of smoke. "Well, I got the gist of it, yeah. I guess it sorta explains the weird shit I saw on TV last night." Shizuo turned to face the Dullahan. "You were going a little fast, though."

[Oh, I was? I-I'm sorry, I-]

"Nah, s'ok," the former bartender replied. "You were just..." A sigh. "Sorry... I shouldn't have made you worried."

Celty shook her non-existent head vehemently. [There's no need for you to apologise at all!]

"Yeah?" Shizuo took in another harmful breath from the cigarette.

[I'm your friend, Shizuo. It's only natural that I...] A pause. Then she erased her message and quickly typed out another. [You're not doing anything wrong.]

Shizuo merely hummed in response.

Knowing that the blond would say nothing further, Celty's shoulders slumped a little, before she changed the topic. [Anyway... What will you do? Now that you know someone out there wants to...]

The Dullahan couldn't bring herself to end that sentence.

Shizuo shrugged. "Nothing, I guess. It's not like that's anything new." He gazed at his burning toxic stick blankly. "...And it's not like whatever it is will actually kill me."

...Saddening as it might sound, what Shizuo said was true. She remembered that, back when Shinra was still a student at Raijin Academy, Shinra had often told her about how "Someone went after Shizuo-kun again" or "Looks like Shizuo-kun went off to settle a personal matter with some thugs or something" or even "Guess what, Celty? Shizuo-kun fought back this group of people who wanted to kill him! Singlehandedly!" before he would let out an amused laugh.

But Shinra never failed to end off by saying, _"And you know what's amazing, Celty? Shizuo-kun's perfectly fine. Even after all that. I think...I think nothing can ever get him down and make him _stay there_, you know?"_

The Celty back then would have only shook her head and brushed it all off nonchalantly, but after getting to know Shizuo personally and even becoming his confidant in a way, the Celty now felt...sympathy. And sadness.

In just a few years, Shizuo got slashed, shot, thrown into jail for crimes he didn't commit, and a whole list of other injustices that society had done to him; he spent his childhood in bandages and hospital beds, and his high school years fighting members of the underground world who wanted to kill him for all the wrong reasons. And now that Shizuo was finally enjoying the ordinary life he deserved to have, somebody just had to appear out of nowhere, murder a high school student, and make Shizuo their next target?

All her dear friend ever wanted was to live in peace, but fate couldn't even grant him that.

True, Shizuo could get knocked down multiple times over and still managed to get up like nothing happened, but Celty believed that Shizuo would rather he didn't have to get knocked down in the first place.

...But now that she thought about it...

Celty knew first-hand that nothing could ever keep Shizuo down for long. That was a fact.

So why was she getting this worried about him?

If a friend of hers was going to be killed, of course the normal response would be to worry about them, but Shizuo was different. There were countless people who had tried, and failed, to kill him, so why was her intuition telling her that this particular time would be an exception?

…The more Celty pondered, the more antsy she got, and the more she was convinced that something was very, very wrong.

[...I have a bad feeling about this, Shizuo.] The Dullahan finally wrote after a long moment of silence. [I think...you may be in a lot of danger.]

Shizuo blinked.

[I know it sounds a bit strange to you, but that's the feeling I get.] A pause. [This might not be as simple as we think. There's a lot we don't understand about this whole situation. Maybe we should head to Shinra's and ask Yosuke-kun for more details.]

Shizuo seemed to consider this. "...Yeah, it's a good idea, but…I can't just skip work now."

Celty's shoulders sunk. [Oh...that's right. I caught you in a bad time. Sorry. Um...I'll ask him and then tell you the details later?]

The blond nodded. "Yeah, that's fine with me." Then he brought the cigarette to his lips again.

[Yup, that's settled, then. So I'll go notify Izaya too?]

Shizuo's brow twitched.

Without warning, he crushed the cigarette in his hand, and gave Celty a sideway glance. "...What does the flea have to do with this?"

Celty tilted her helmet to one side confusedly.

_'…Oh, right. I didn't tell him.'_

[Well-]

_**KABOOM!**_

An explosion, and the series of screams that followed, interrupted them.

The Dullahan and bodyguard immediately turned in the direction of the uproar, where they saw thick haze slithering out from the entrance leading to the Ikebukuro Metro Line station.

People scrambled about, their cries and shouts of surprise piercing the soot-filled air; flames were beginning to lick the surroundings, and the ground near the entrance was about to crumble.

The electronic device in Celty's hand nearly slipped out of her grip.

_'What... What just...?'_


	13. April 17 2013, Daytime to Evening

A/N: It's funny. I was looking forward to writing this chapter for quite some time, but in the end I struggled with it, haha.

As usual, thank you for following/reading/favouriting/reviewing this story! :)

* * *

**April 17, 2013**

"-Ah, there they are. Heeeey, Yukiko, Kanji-kun, Teddie! Over here!"

"Hm?"

The raven-haired girl perked up at the familiar voice and looked around, catching sight of somebody donned in an unzipped green jacket and a sunny yellow shirt underneath it. A bright smile found its way onto Yukiko's face as she broke into a run towards the other girl. "Oh, Chie!" she exclaimed excitedly, wrapping her arms around her best friend and pulling her into an embrace.

"C'mon, Yukiko, it's only been three days..." Chie said, her voice muffled as she buried her face in Yukiko's sky blue vest.

The pair remained in that position, completely oblivious to the stares they were getting from the other commuters passing by until the voices of Kanji and Teddie interrupted them.

"Aww, that's no fair, I want a hug too!" the blond whined before casting the girls his trademark bear cub eyes. "Pleeease?"

"Uh...I think the answer is no, Teds," Kanji said, looking unimpressed. Then he gave Chie a grin. "Yo, Satonaka-senpai."

Chie waved at him cheerfully. "Haha, hey there, Kan...ji-kun...?" As she got a better look at her Yasogami kouhai, however, the brunette's jaw dropped.

"Huh? What?" Kanji asked, both brows raised. "Wh-what's with that reaction?"

"Y...your hair... It..."

Chie couldn't help but stare.

For instead of a sea of midnight black, there was a bleached patch of hair in the middle of Kanji's head.

And his hair was completely slicked back again, giving him an appearance similar to the one he had back when Chie first met him. Except that now, Kanji was wearing spectacles, and dressed in a simple attire of a solid yellow t-shirt and dark brown pants, with a black windbreaker properly worn over his shirt.

Simply put, it was like looking at a bespectacled version of the Kanji from two years back. With a beige patch on his head.

"Oh, this?" he asked, tugging at a bleached strand. "Well it was all this dumb bear's fault-"

"Hey!"

"-I dunno how, but he managed to get his paws on my hair gel and bleach and gave me this stupid makeover while I was asleep on the train." Kanji rolled his eyes. "And Amagi-senpai... Man, she laughed the rest of the train ride away."

Chie just continued staring.

"...Uh, Satonaka-senpai?"

"...It..." Chie finally spoke, almost snorting. "...It totally fits you! Hahaha!"

"Snrk... I know, right?! Ahaha... Ahahahahaha!" Yukiko joined in, slapping her knee.

Kanji groaned, "Ugh, seriously? You too, Satonaka-senpai?"

Teddie raised his hands in the air and waved them around, his bright blue eyes glistening like polished sapphires. "See? I told you Chie-chan would love it!"

A vein popped in the temple of Kanji's forehead. "Yeah, and you said that you wouldn't touch any of my stuff, too." Then he turned to face his two seniors, one of whom was still busy attracting the attention of passersby with her trademark laughter; the other had stopped, but was biting down on her lower lip to restrain herself. "Amagi-senpai, aren't you, y'know, tired from all that laughing?"

"K-Kanji-kun...and that hairstyle... F-fitting... T-too fitting...!" The manager of the Amagi Inn clutched her stomach. "Snrk... Ahahahahahaha!"

Teddie bounced up and down joyfully. "And you can thank _me_ for that, Yuki-chan!"

Chie gave the blond a thumbs-up. "I gotta hand it to ya, Teddie, you really knew what you were doing."

"Aww shucks, thanks, Chie-chan!"

All Kanji could do was sigh.

"My, I was wondering why the station was a lot livelier than when I left it just a while ago."

The present members of the Investigation Team all turned in the direction of the slightly low-pitched feminine voice that suddenly joined the conversation.

The owner of said voice was a beautiful young woman whose midnight blue hair reached slightly past her shoulders and had its ends in delicate, natural curls that framed her pale features perfectly. Over her plain white blouse that was neatly tucked in and her simple black jeans was a light brown trench coat which ended right above her piano black shoes.

Teddie's eyes sparkled in recognition and amazement, Yukiko immediately stopped laughing and gaped the moment she saw the owner of the voice, and Kanji didn't hesitate to turn his head away and cover the lower half of his face.

"Oh, hey, Naoto-kun!" Chie greeted, completely unfazed. "Where's Rise-chan? I thought you went up to meet her?"

The young woman in the trench coat directed her attention to the cadet trainee. "Kujikawa-san said that she had to settle some urgent scheduling conflicts with her manager first. She'll come over once she's done."

Chie nodded in acknowledgement. Before she could say anything else, however, a quiet and uncertain voice next to her started to speak, "Na...Naoto-kun?"

The detective turned to face the origin of the voice directly. "Ah, it's nice to see you again, Amagi-senpai," she said with a soft smile. "Tatsumi-kun and Teddie-kun, as well. It has been a long time. I see that Tatsumi-kun has changed his hairstyle. It fits you rather well."

Kanji made no response other than a stiff nod.

Yukiko blinked dazedly. "Is... Is it really you, Naoto-kun?"

Naoto, however, didn't seem at all surprised at the reaction, and chuckled. "Yes, it is," she replied smoothly. "I understand that my current...well, appearance may come as a surprise to you, being a rather drastic change from what you are used to seeing. I must admit that even I myself am not quite accustomed to this idea just yet."

The raven-haired girl shook her head. "No, no, I'm just really happy to see that you're able to truly enjoy what you're doing without anything to hide about yourself. I think it's wonderful."

A faint shade of red tinted Naoto's cheeks. "Thank you, Senpai."

"Nao-chan is really pretty~" sang Teddie, who waved his arms in the air again.

"That's...um..." The detective's blush deepened. "W-well, thank you, Teddie-kun."

The blond giggled, then turned to look at the unusually silent adolescent next to him. "Don't you think so too, Kanji?"

Chie and Yukiko gave the bespectacled teen expectant looks while Naoto busied herself with observing the tiling patterns of the floor.

"...Helloooo? Kanji?"

Kanji darted a glare at the blond. "Wh-what, ya dumb bear?" he responded, his voice slightly muffled as he was covering the lower half of his face with both of his hands. Then he gave his two seniors equally frustrated looks. "A-and quit staring at me like that, Senpais!"

"Well, you've been awfully quiet ever since Naoto-kun joined in," Chie said teasingly. "We were just worried about you, you know."

"...Heehee," Yukiko couldn't help but giggle.

Kanji grumbled, "Man, you two are just as bad as Yosuke-senpai..."

Adding Teddie to the mix made it even worse. "So, whatcha hiding beneath your hands, Kanji?"

The Third Year instantly turned away. "N...nothin'!"

"You sure about that?" Chie questioned knowingly, winking.

Kanji felt his face growing warmer by the second. "Seriously, guys! Just let it go already, dammit!"

Naoto finally spoke up, "S...Satonaka-senpai, Amagi-senpai, a-and Teddie-kun, please don't trouble Tatsumi-kun any further..."

Chie smiled reassuringly. "Ah well, if you say so, Kanji-kun, Naoto-kun." Yukiko and Teddie both nodded in concession.

Just as Kanji was about to heave a sigh of relief, however, the timely appearance of someone else dashed his hopes of laying this embarrassing matter to rest.

"Ah! There you all are!"

Everyone turned towards the origin of the high-pitched, bubbly voice and the sounds of heels tapping against the ground rapidly. Before them was the famous teen idol Kujikawa Rise, not looking any different from when they last saw her except for a familiar pair of pink-framed spectacles that she wore like she would a headband, running towards them in pastel pink three-inch high heels as naturally as breathing air.

"Rise-chan!" Teddie exclaimed, stretching his arms in a huge welcoming gesture.

The brunette dashed right into it, circling her arms around Teddie's upper torso. "Ohh Teddie, I missed you~!"

The blond sniffed, as though he were on the brink of crying. "Teddie missed you too! Very, very much!"

After the brief embrace, Rise pulled apart, and then waved at the others merrily. "Hey there, everyone! It's been so long since I last saw you guys I got a little worried that I wouldn't be able to recognise you anymore."

"We weren't separated for _that_ long, Rise-chan," Chie replied, laughing. "It's not like we'd change much, appearance-wise."

"Teehee, except for Naoto-kun, that is~" sang the idol, whose mischievous smile widened as she looked at an embarrassed Naoto and then at Kanji, who was desperately trying to avoid her line of vision. "Oh? Kanji's hair looks kinda different..."

Yukiko sniggered. "Well... Snrk..."

"I'm the one who did it!" Teddie announced chirpily. "Just wanted to see what this 'bleach' and 'gel' thing does. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Ohh, so that's what happened." Rise giggled, while Kanji muttered something about dumb bears beneath his breath. "So Kanji, what do you think about Naoto-kun's new makeover? She's quite the looker now, huh? Not that she wasn't before. Heehee."

Kanji fidgeted, but kept his hands on his face. "...Shuddup."

The idol wouldn't give in that easily. "Ooh, what's this? Have something to hide?" She leaned forward to get a closer look, but the more she did, the more Kanji shifted away from her. "Ahhh, I see. I bet your nose is-"

"Sh-shut it, Rise! Don't we have better things to do than care about my damn nose?!"

"Ta...Tatsumi-kun is right," Naoto quickly agreed. "Although it is not impermissible to engage in idle chatter, please remember that we are here for a reason, and that is to solve the case at hand."

Almost instantly, the entire atmosphere dulled while grave expressions were painted on everyone's features as they nodded. Yukiko was the first to speak, "We need to meet up with Seta-kun and Hanamura-kun, right? Do you know where might be a good place for all of us to gather to discuss the case, Naoto-kun?"

"Unfortunately, I don't quite know the area well enough, so we will have to spend some time looking for a suitable place by ourselves." The detective glanced at the wristwatch on her left hand. "And at this time of the day, Senpai and Hanamura-senpai may be having lessons. It won't be convenient for them to join us right now."

Rise's eyes widened in realisation. "Oh yeah...we never did tell them we'd be coming, right?"

"Don't worry. I informed Seta-senpai about everyone's arrival, after Satonaka-senpai and Kujikawa-san confirmed with me that all of you would be coming," Naoto answered. "I have yet to receive a reply, however, so we may have to wait."

"Wow, thanks, Naoto-kun!" said Chie. Then the police cadet pumped a fist in the air. "Alright then! Since we have to wait for Seta-kun and Hanamura anyway, let's go grab something to eat! I'm staaaarving..."

Suddenly the atmosphere was thick with silence. One could hear the distant footsteps of commuters rushing in and out of the station, or even the mumbled voices of people engaged in conversations as they passed by.

Upon realising that the others were all staring at her, Chie awkwardly lowered her arm. "...What? Is it something I said?"

A snort let out by Yukiko was all that was needed to shatter any remaining remnants of the silence. "Ch-Chie, that's...so like you..."

"Huh? What? I mean it! I'm like, seriously super hungry right now. I think I can even tackle the Rainy Day Meatbowl Challenge. Twice."

"Pffft... Ahahahahahaha! Ahaha...!"

The cadet gave a resigned sigh as she watched her friend cackle hysterically. "There she goes again... She's really laughing over pretty much nothing nowadays, huh?"

Kanji, on the other hand, was smiling. "Well, that's Amagi-senpai for ya."

Naoto chuckled. "How very true."

Chie turned to face the both of them, and beamed. "Haha! Yeah, I guess you're right!"

As she watched the scene unfold before her eyes, the corners of Rise's lips curled into a relieved smile. "You know what, though? I really miss times like this where I can just be like any other ordinary girl and hang out with my friends, so I'm glad to see that some things never change. It wouldn't feel the same otherwise."

"I concur!" Teddie declared, leaping into the air. "And things will get even better when Sensei and Yosuke are here with us!"

The present members of the Investigation Team nodded, and then - after Yukiko recovered from her laughing fit - they moved towards the nearest exit that would lead them to above ground, chatting cheerfully amongst themselves.

Topics like training in the police academy or interesting visitors at the Amagi Inn popped up out of nowhere for them to talk about with vigour and excitement. Even what one would presume as a mundane topic like school life at Yasogami High was something everyone paid close attention to, having missed the school dearly after graduation or leaving Inaba; or simply just life with the Hanamuras and part-time work at Junes.

Just as they were listening to Rise recount her experience of working together with the immensely popular idol Hanejima Yuuhei, however, the brunette abruptly came to a halt.

"...Huh? What's wrong, Rise-chan?"

Without answering Chie's question, Rise looked over her shoulder, and then took a quick glance at their surroundings. Shuddering, she shook her head. "It... It's nothing, Chie-senpai. I must have been imagining things."

Naoto's eyes narrowed slightly, and stole a glimpse around the area they were in. A large crowd of commuters were walking past them, paying attention to anything but a group of teenagers gathered in a train station. Announcements notifying commuters about the train's arrival were being broadcasted, the security guards were at their posts or patrolling the station... Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But Naoto knew better than to underestimate Rise's uncannily sharp instincts.

And there was something about Rise shuddering that...disturbed her, somewhat.

"Might it have been a stalker?" the detective suggested, while at the same time hinting to the others that something was amiss.

As expected, they picked up on the hint, and paid exceptionally close attention to Rise as she replied, "I'm not sure... I mean, I've had plenty of stalkers before, but this..."

Before anyone could respond, the brunette suddenly gasped and hunched over, clutching her chest. "Wha...?! Th-this is..."

"Kujikawa-san?!"

"Rise-chan!"

"O-oi, Rise!"

"What... A-are you okay?!"

"Rise-chan?!"

When she realised that her friends were moving closer towards her out of concern, the idol shook her head vehemently. "N-no, don't-"

Then a burst of warmth enveloped her entire frame; her vision obscured by a blinding pale blue light that erupted from seemingly out of nowhere.

The voices of her teammates escalated in volume, panic and confusion clearly evident. Rise could hear her friends turning to each other for answers, only to be completely stumped before they asked Teddie if he could sense anything. Every whiff the former Shadow took after that sounded so clear it was as if the blond was breathing down her neck. He mentioned something about rusty metal at some point, but Rise was too distracted by the voice in her head humming a familiar tune to pay any closer attention.

The blue light that blinded her slowly dimmed while tiny red dots spotted her vision. They looked scattered at first glance, but as Rise kept her eyes on them, she realised that they were increasing in numbers at a terrifyingly rapid pace. It was like watching cells divide uncontrollably - what used to be small red specks quickly growing into massive clumps of bright crimson.

Wrapping her arms around herself, the brunette remained standing, not willing to give in to her legs which had gone numb from shock. She steeled herself, and continued looking. Analysing.

And that was when she finally found them - the flickering blue spots at the bottom edge of her vision, at a distance away from the sea of red.

But just when she caught sight of them, freckles of scarlet dotted along above them, and spread quickly towards the clearly outnumbered blue spots.

The song in Rise's head escalated in volume.

"_Everyone, look out!_"

* * *

It had only been three days since his arrival in Ikebukuro.

And already, too many things were happening all at once, ending the peaceful everyday life he once led before the news of Yagiri Seiji's death was broadcasted.

But the discovery of the body was merely the domino that knocked the others in its row.

Harima Mika's amnesia; the brutal attack that landed her in the hospital; a group of red-eyed strangers intent on ending his and Yosuke's lives; being able to summon their Personas in the real world; the return of the Midnight Channel; the Velvet Room appearing completely different from how he remembered it...

And now...

"I still can't believe- All those people, I..."

"It ain't your fault, Amagi-senpai."

"Yeah, Yukiko, it's not like you meant for any of that to happen."

Despite the protests, however, the young manager still shook her head, her hands trembling as she avoided the concerned gazes of her friends. "That doesn't change the fact that I-"

"Amagi, listen," Yosuke cut her off. "Everything that happened earlier was just an accident. I-I know, your Persona caused the explosion, and the people who attacked you got caught up in it, so you feel guilty about it. But nobody got hurt, right? I mean, yeah, the station got blown up, but in the end, everyone managed to get out safely. Isn't that what matters most?"

"Yosuke's right," Souji added before Yukiko could even react. "It's okay, Amagi."

"That's..." The raven-haired girl paused to consider their words carefully. "Even though that may be true...because of me, Chie and the others are-"

"What? You mean these little scratches?" the cadet was quick to reply. Then she waved it off cheerfully with a lighthearted laugh. "Oh c'mon, Yukiko, you know this is nothing compared to all the damage I do to myself whenever I practise my kungfu moves. And even then, I could still help you guys kick Shadow butt, right?

"Yeah, what Satonaka-senpai said, Amagi-senpai," Kanji agreed, giving his Amagi-senpai a thumbs-up.

Rise giggled. "Really, Senpai, there's nothing to worry about. It's not like these will scar or anything. They aren't _that_ bad, you know."

"And it's not Yuki-chan's fault at all!" Teddie quickly added.

With a light smile on her face, Naoto nodded. "So please...don't feel bad, Amagi-senpai."

Silently, Yukiko raised her head. The sight of bandages and plasters infiltrated her vision; the stinging smell of antiseptic still lingering in the room. No matter where she looked, the whiteness of the bandages refused to leave her sight.

Without saying another word, Yukiko bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze, directing it to the ground.

"...Yukiko?"

The manager couldn't help but close her eyes shut as she inhaled deeply before finally releasing her breath in the form of a sigh. "Thank you, everyone. I'll be fine, so..."

Souji's eyes softened. "Are you sure?"

Yukiko nodded firmly. "Yes. That's why we're here, after all. We have no more time to waste. So please, Seta-kun."

The leader of the Investigation Team looked over the rest of his teammates, whose eyes were all on him in anticipation. Then, he gave them a brief nod of confirmation, before he turned to face the bespectacled man, who had been listening to the entire conversation in silence with his two companions, and bowed.

"Kishitani-sensei, Celty-san, Heiwajima-san... I can't thank you all enough for helping us."

Shinra's smile was brimming with enthusiasm. "Oh, no need for thanks, Souji-kun. We can leave it until later. I believe you have something more important to settle right now?" Next to him, Celty's helmet shook in a nodding motion, while Shizuo simply grunted.

Souji stood upright, his expression now grave as he met Shizuo's eyes. "Yes, and it concerns Heiwajima-san, so I think it would be for the best if he listens to our discussion. Is that alright with you, Heiwajima-san?"

Without any warning, Shinra sprang into action. "Of _course_ he'd be happy to stay and listen!"

Shizuo frowned. "Oi, I didn't-"

"After all, this does concern his own life. I doubt even someone like Shizuo-kun would want to take a gamble with that. Right, Shizuo-kun?"

The former bartender growled at the sight of his childhood friend's eyes which were glimmering with hope. "I have work, you-"

"So! Do carry on!"

Shizuo clicked his tongue. "Shinra..."

"Um..." Naoto started hesitantly. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but if it's not convenient for Heiwajima-san to be here right now, then we shouldn't force him to stay. After all, regardless of his presence, we would still be able to hold our discussion and carry out whatever we will decide to do. Isn't that right?"

Before anyone in the team could reply, Shizuo said, "Whoa, hold up. Doesn't that mean that you kids will do whatever the hell you want and I have no say in anything?"

"...That depends. Should you decide to stay and voice your opinion as we move along in our discussion, we may be able to work out some arrangements that suit your needs. Solving the case, however, still takes priority, so if we feel that we need to take certain actions to ensure your safety, then we will have no choice but to do so.

"Furthermore..." Naoto paused, watching Shizuo carefully, "I hope that you are aware that you are not the only target, Heiwajima-san. What we will be discussing concerns Orihara-san as well." The former bartender's expression darkened at the mention of the other man. "But, since time is not on our side, we can only move on with our meeting first and convey our decisions to him at a more suitable time. Therefore, we will have to rely on you to give us your input so that we can carry out our meeting more effectively. Is that acceptable?"

The blond grumbled something under his breath before he said, in a louder voice, "...Fine. If you guys are gonna get in the way of my work or something, I gotta know in advance, after all. And besides..." Shizuo's fingers curled into tight fists as his brows furrowed. "I wanna know what all this has to do with the flea. So…I guess I'll stay and listen."

Shinra's eyes widened slightly while Celty's shoulders stiffened as if in shock as they watched the exchange. Behind their backs, Souji, Yosuke, Kanji and Chie gave Naoto thumbs-ups; Rise giggled and nudged the detective lightly; Yukiko let out a quiet snort, and Teddie swayed about clumsily.

The corners of Naoto's lips curled into a subtle smile of triumph. "Very well. Shall we begin, then?"

"Right," Souji answered, while the other members of the team nodded in acknowledgement. "First of all, we have to sort out the similarities that these two cases have and clarify any doubts concerning the current case. We need everybody on the same page here before we move on."

"Hmm..." Chie put a finger to her chin. "If I remember correctly, basically everything's the same, right? There's the fog and the Midnight Channel... And the bodies were found in a similar manner."

"But there wasn't any Midnight Channel before that Yagiri guy's death, right?" Kanji pointed out. "I mean, if there was, Senpai would've noticed it and told us a long time ago."

"And even if that were the case, Yagiri wouldn't be the one who'd show up on it." Souji's features pulled into a thin frown. "He wasn't mentioned in the news, neither was there any talk about him in particular."

Naoto closed her eyes, appearing to be in deep thought. "However, Yagiri Seiji did die of unknown causes, similar to the victims of the Inaba serial murder case. That is a fact."

"So that means... Yagiri-san was definitely thrown into the TV and killed by his Shadow, but the Midnight Channel just didn't air, for some reason?" asked Rise.

"But that's not possible," Yukiko said. "After all, if someone is in the TV, the Midnight Channel would definitely come on, right?"

That was a question that nobody had the answer to. The team could only hang their heads low in abrupt silence. Behind them, the Dullahan, bodyguard and underground doctor merely watched on, not knowing how to contribute to the serious discussion.

Until somebody finally broke the silence.

"Maybe this new killer...has been targeting Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san all along."

At Yosuke's suggestion, mild surprise flashed through Shinra's expression, while the shadowy wisp trailing above Celty's neck formed a spherical cloud, escaping as a poof of smoke.

Shizuo's frown deepened. "Yeah? What makes you say that?"

"Well, doesn't it seem strange that the Midnight Channel only appeared _after _Yagiri's body was found? And it so happened that it was you and Orihara-san who found it? It's like...like the killer deliberately set things up so that it _had_ to be the two of you who found the body so that they can recreate what happened in Inaba. I don't know."

"Ah..." Souji muttered, knowing exactly what his best friend had meant. "That might be so. Which makes keeping a close eye on Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san all the more vital."

"Eh?" Shinra asked, incredulous. "Why is that so?"

Yosuke took the liberty to explain, "For one thing, we don't know who - or _what_ - we're up against this time. The killer might be able to approach them directly and shove them into a TV without them realising it."

"And since there is a possibility that the killer has been targeting them from the very beginning, they must be trying to use the TV world in order to get rid of them," Souji added, before he looked directly at the blond. "We can't guarantee that we'll be able to rescue you if you were to enter there, so we have to prevent that from happening."

Shizuo considered this for a moment. "Yeah, I get that. What I don't get, though, is why the bastard has to use something like that at all."

"Well, think about it," Chie spoke. "Once somebody is thrown inside the TV, they can't ever get out until they get killed by the Shadows, and then they end up back in our world...dead." The cadet paused, resisting the urge to grimace as she recalled what had happened to Inaba two years back. "And with no wounds and stuff, the police can't identify any possible cause of death."

"Investigations will carry on," Naoto continued from where her senior had left. "But with no leads to work on, the police will have no choice but to close the case. In other words, it's quite possibly the cleanest way to carry out a murder."

"And all the killer has to do...is push the victim into a TV," Yukiko ended on an eerie note.

Shinra hummed thoughtfully at this, but otherwise remained silent. While part of him was becoming thrilled at the prospects of looking more into this new supernatural finding, there was also a strange...feeling, of sorts, that was masking the excitement bubbling within him.

Cocoa eyes briefly wandered over to the blond ex-bartender staring at the ground, seemingly deep in thought, and softened considerably.

"...If there aren't any further enquiries, we should carry on," prompted Naoto, unknowingly redirecting Shinra's attention back to the discussion. "Senpai, what do you propose we do with regards to protecting the next two possible victims?"

The leader of the Investigation Team folded his arms. "Before we go into that, we need to find an entrance. Although we're trying to prevent it from happening, we should be prepared for the scenario where we'll need to travel to the TV world."

"Oh, that's...right..." Yukiko murmured. "That's not going to be easy to find..."

"Yeah," Teddie voiced his agreement, finally speaking up after remaining silent throughout the entire discussion thus far. He hadn't been much of a strategic bear, after all, so he left those decisions for his Sensei and the others to make, but when it came to the Shadow World, he was the expert. "We can't use just any TV we find. It might not lead us to a safe place."

"Well, we can still try, of course," encouraged Rise. "Teddie and I can just pop in and do a quick scan around to see if things are okay. If they are, then we'd have found a good place. If not, we can just keep looking."

Souji nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. Though... Rise, won't you be busy with your work for the next few days?"

The idol beamed. "Not really. Since I'm finally done with my recordings, my schedule's pretty flexible right now."

"That's good to hear," Souji replied, smiling himself. "Alright. So, we'll have Teddie and Rise going together as a pair to search for suitable entrances. That's six of us remaining. We can split into two groups of three, one to each possible target. How does that sound?"

"Oh! Good thinking, partner!" Yosuke commented with a wink. The others, too, voiced out their agreements.

"Okay then, how shall we split the groups?"

"...Senpai, if I may," Naoto spoke before anyone else could. "I would like to request to join the group that is responsible for Orihara Izaya-san's safety."

Shizuo was the first out of everyone to whip his head towards the detective. His hands instinctively tried to reach for something he could snap, which happened to be the shoulder rest of the sofa. "What the hell? You're actually _volunteering_?"

Realising that all eyes were on her, the detective fidgeted slightly, and then bowed her head, almost as if she were ashamed. "Well, it's... To tell the truth, it's for another case I've been following. I have reasons to believe that Orihara-san is involved in that case, and so I want to take this opportunity to question his involvement. I apologise for making such a selfish request..."

"It's perfectly fine, Naoto," Souji assured.

Keeping his eyes on the detective, Kanji made no comment.

"…Oh. Uh. Well. When you put it that way..." Shizuo released his hold on the shoulder rest. "But if you find out that he's involved, just make sure you nab the flea and give him the punishment he deserves. Ten times over. No, make that hundred times over...a thousand times over... Hell, make it infinite times over... Kill kill kill..."

The members of the Investigation Team simply stared at the man in awkward silence.

"...Anyway, for the groupings," Souji quickly brought everyone else back to the topic. "The only confirmed placing is Naoto. Does anybody else want to volunteer or-"

"Uh, Senpai," Kanji interrupted, "I-I wanna be one of the people lookin' after Orihara-san, too."

Now everyone was directing their attention to Kanji instead. Even Naoto seemed surprised.

"Ooh~ what's this? Kanji's actually taking the initiative now?" Rise sang teasingly.

"Wh-hey, shut it! It ain't like that!" the bespectacled teen protested. "It's just... I... Naoto..." He shook his head. "Argh, whatever! Can we just get with the programme already?!"

Naoto looked utterly perplexed.

"If you say so," Souji responded with a teasing smile of his own. "That makes it Kanji and Naoto in charge of Orihara-san, then. Anyone else? Otherwise, I will make the final decision." He met with conceding silence. "Alright then. So... We'll have Amagi, Kanji and Naoto in one group. Yosuke and Satonaka are with me. Any objections?"

His teammates shook their heads. Souji nodded firmly in response. "That settles it, then. Naoto, I'm counting on your group to convey all the necessary details to Orihara-san and make the arrangements with him. Yosuke, Satonaka, as per Heiwajima-san's concerns, we'll keep a distance and try not to interfere in his work as far as possible."

"...Thanks," Shizuo said a little sheepishly. The whole thing was, honestly, still very strange and frustrating to him, but it wouldn't get too bad, he supposed.

The teenagers tasked with protecting the fortissimo of Ikebukuro flashed him reassuring smiles.

"Anything else to discuss about now, partner?" Yosuke prompted.

"Well..." he glanced over the others. "Aside from Yosuke, Naoto and maybe Rise...I'd very much like to have a word with the rest of you about leaving your commitments to come over here." They winced at that. Souji sighed. "But...I guess whatever I say won't be of much use now, seeing as you're all here anyway. So I'll leave this discussion for another time."

The members of the team all heaved a sigh of relief simultaneously.

"Alrighty then!" Teddie said, leaping up from his seat. "Rise-chan and I will go look for an entrance right away!"

"In that case," Shinra invited himself to the discussion, "maybe you can try our living room TV first."

"...Eh?" The team glanced at the aforementioned electronic resting on top of a tiny table. "Is that really okay with you?"

"Oh, by all means, please do!"

"Well...alright. Thank you, Kishitani-sensei," Souji said, bowing. The rest of the team did the same, and then everyone got up to gather around the television set, Shinra, Shizuo and Celty included. The silver-haired adolescent turned to face the teen idol and the blond bear. "Rise, Teddie, we're counting on you."

Rise gave him a confident smile. "No problem, Senpai!"

"We'll do a bear-rific job!" Teddie exclaimed.

And with that, the brunette was the first to reach out and place her long, thin fingers on the cool surface of the screen, which rippled at the touch. Giving her companion a nod, Rise inched closer towards the screen, before allowing herself to immerse her body completely into the ripples with Teddie following closely behind.

Leaving a wide-eyed Shizuo, a frozen Celty, and an excited Shinra - who was squealing and cooing like a child - in their wake. With the rest of the Investigation Team members trying to calm them down as quickly as they could.

* * *

**CHATROOM**

_No one is in the chatroom now._

_No one is in the chatroom now._

_Kanra-san has joined the chat._

_Kanra_  
Kya-ho~!

_Kanra_  
Kanra-chan hereeeeee!

_Kanra_  
...Ehhh? Where's everybody? Not free to chat tonight?

_Kanra_  
That's so strange~

_Kanra_  
...Well, everyone here is living in lovely, vibrant Ikebukuro, after all. I'm sure they must be leading very busy lives.

_Kanra_  
In that case, I should get busy as well~

_Kanra_  
Well then!

_Kanra_  
Bye bye-bii~!

_Kanra-san has left the chat._

_No one is in the chatroom now._

_No one is in the chatroom now._

... ...


	14. April 18, 2013

A/N: Remember when I said the DRRR novel-only characters won't appear? Yeah, forget I said that. I've been wanting to include Vorona but I was worried about her characterisation on top of juggling between the already massive cast here. But as I wrote this chapter, I felt that I really wanted Vorona in here despite my worries, haha. I hope I did her justice.

With this chapter published, we have marked the end of the first story arc and will be moving on to the second in the next chapter. To give a rough idea of how long this story will be, there are three arcs in total. For more details, do check out my latest Author's Note on my writing Tumblr :)

Also, it's Izaya's birthday today! Here's to our dear informant turning 21 (again) XD

Thank you all for reading/following/favouriting/reviewing this story! :)

* * *

**April 18, 2013**

It was a cool and crisp Thursday morning in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo when a young woman from a line of well-known detectives, along with the manager of a famous traditional inn in a backwater town, was seen together with the son of a textiles shop owner.

The rain from the night before continued into this very morning. Not too heavily, but enough to constitute the need for an umbrella, which Naoto made sure to bring along when she left her temporary residence in Ikebukuro together with her senpai. Thereafter, they took the train to Shinjuku where Kanji was waiting with an umbrella of his own.

"Yo," he greeted. "Looks like you guys got here safely."

Naoto gave him a brisk nod. "And you, as well... That's a relief."

At that statement, the bespectacled adolescent flushed, and quickly turned his head away, folding his arms. Yukiko giggled quietly.

After the incident at the train station yesterday, the team decided that travelling in a large group would draw too much unnecessary attention to themselves and attract potential attackers again, so Souji suggested that they should all travel in pairs, at most, while they were in Ikebukuro to be safe. It appeared that gathering in an open space was the main trigger, though; when they were in Shinra's house, for instance, they hadn't been on the receiving end of any unexpected acts of violence at all. That observation made the arrangements for their temporary accommodation much easier. Kanji and Teddie would move in with Souji and Yosuke, while the girls would stay with Naoto.

Just as they had planned for that morning, Teddie continued his search for suitable entrances to the TV world while Rise went to settle her work first; Chie would be responsible for staking out a certain debt collector and Souji and Yosuke would join her after their morning lectures; while Yukiko, Kanji and Naoto were tasked to pay an informant a visit and keep a close eye on him. Finding the address of an information broker as infamous as Orihara Izaya, however, would prove to be no easy task, but thankfully his loyal courier was more than happy to give it to them.

And so here they were now, standing before the entrance of a massive skyscraper in Shinjuku where that notorious information broker lived.

"By the way, Kanji-kun..." Yukiko started as the trio entered the lift lobby. "Did you see it? The Midnight Channel... It came on last night."

"Sure did," came Kanji's swift reply as he recalled the appearance of what used to be Inaba's urban legend.

It had started drizzling after the team broke into pairs and left Kishitani-sensei's apartment, once Rise and Teddie were done scanning the area that Kishitani-sensei's television led to. When the rain didn't let up - and even became heavier - as time passed, Souji-senpai told everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the Midnight Channel. Eventually it really did show up, just as Souji-senpai said it would.

It was a very fuzzy image; the static totally warped the shapes of the two people that appeared on the programme, melding them into one distorted mass of black. Yosuke-senpai had mentioned that there was something about that image which looked_ really_ wrong, but when Souji-senpai asked him he just dismissed it as nothing important.

That aside, though... Seeing the Midnight Channel again was quite a surreal experience, after a two-year break from it. And in a way, it was comforting to see that blurred image last night. At least it meant that they still had some time left.

"Hmm..." Naoto's contemplative voice dragged Kanji back to the present, where the detective was scrutinising what appeared to be a card of sorts in her hands with Yukiko looking over her shoulder.

Confusedly, the Yasogami Third Year walked over. "Hunh? What is it?"

"This is an employee card," Naoto answered without looking up. "I heard that Orihara-san hired a secretary two years ago. This must belong to the secretary, then." She flipped the card over. "The last record dates back to the fourteenth of April..."

"Isn't that the day Yagiri-san's body was discovered?" Yukiko asked, her eyes widening slightly at the realisation.

"That's right."

Kanji frowned. "Think they might be related?"

"Perhaps." The detective placed the card back in its respective holder. "This is something we can take note of, for now. We came here to talk to Orihara-san. I believe we should settle that first."

When she saw her companions nod, Naoto turned back to face the door. She wasted no time in ringing the bell, the tune of which sounded like the popular children's TV show Neo Featherman R's theme song. It went on a loop twice before dying away, and a moment after that, the door opened.

A young man, looking in his twenties, wearing a plain, black v-neck shirt and fitting pants stood in the doorway. He had raven black hair, just like most Japanese did, and was of a rather average build. All in all, the man didn't have anything extraordinary to speak of, in terms of his appearance, with the exception of his outstanding garnet eyes which glinted like the rings on his index fingers at the sight of his guests.

"Well, well." A smirk crept its way onto the young man's face. "To what do I owe this visit from a well-known detective such as yourself, my dear Naoto-chan?"

"Nao-?!" Kanji's jaw immediately dropped at the affectionate designation.

"...Orihara-san," Naoto deadpanned, seemingly unaware of the stares she was getting from her teammates. "I hope that you are not occupied with your work at the moment."

The man, Orihara Izaya, gazed at her intently, and then nodded to himself. "It looks like you have a pressing matter to discuss with me. Well, do come in and have a seat."

"Thank you," the detective replied, stepping into the spacey apartment, followed by a slightly curious Yukiko and an oddly irritated Kanji.

While the informant had his back turned to them as he led the way in, Yukiko lightly nudged her kouhai. Silently, she glanced at him, then turned to look at Naoto, who was walking in front of them. Kanji, taking the hint, directed his attention to the detective, and was slightly surprised to find her holding up her cell phone behind her back.

The screen read: 'Please leave the talking to me.'

Before Kanji could react, Naoto quietly but swiftly flipped the phone shut and hid it in the back pocket of her jeans. "Orihara-san seems to have some work to complete," she commented, casually stealing a glance at the piles of paper on the information broker's desk. "If it's not convenient for us to be here..."

"Oh it's nothing at all. Don't mind it," Izaya replied smoothly, leading his guests to the sofa. As they took a seat and thanked him, he went to prepare three cups of tea, and then set them down in front of the group.

Naoto picked her cup up and briefly blew onto the drink before taking a silent sip. "I was unaware that Orihara-san can make such aromatic tea," she said monotonously. "Or perhaps, it was made by your secretary...?"

"Unfortunately, she's not around today," the informant answered, wearing a gleeful smile. "She has to settle a family problem, you see, so I gave her a few days off."

"How kind of you to do that," the detective replied, her voice carrying little to no trace of emotion whatsoever.

Izaya gave an amused laugh. "What a cold attitude, Naoto-chan~ Can't you at least pretend to be glad to see me? It's been a long two years since we last met, after all."

Upon hearing this, Yukiko and Kanji instantly darted surprised looks at their friend, who simply continued enjoying her tea without confirming or denying the informant's claim.

"And my, how you've grown in those two years!" Izaya continued, completely unfazed by the lack of reaction from the young detective. "Why, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought I'm speaking to your twin sister!"

Kanji's brow twitched. Yukiko frowned.

"So, how has life been for you? Do your superiors still look down on you? Even more so now that everyone knows who you really are?" Izaya shook his head in false sympathy. "I can't imagine how stifling it must be for you, Naoto-chan, to work in such a male-oriented profession."

Kanji clenched his fists. "Hey-!"

"I have to say, though, I certainly didn't expect you to reveal your little secret in the end. And at a press conference, at that. That really took me by surprise, you know." A chuckle escaped Izaya's lips. "Ahh, humans are indeed so fascinating!"

In contrast to the strange looks her comrades were giving the informant, Naoto calmly placed the cup down, appearing as if she were used to such words. "Orihara-san," she said, "while I am flattered by your comments, I would appreciate it if you could leave this until we've done what we came to do. We did not come here simply to engage you in a friendly conversation, after all."

Humming thoughtfully, the raven returned to his swivel chair. He rested his left elbow on the desk, and then his chin against the back of his left palm. "...And? You said you're here to do something? What is this 'something', then, if I may enquire?"

"...In that case, I shall go straight to the point," Naoto replied, turning to face Izaya, navy meeting auburn. "Orihara-san...your life is in danger."

"Ohh?" the informant said, his eyes gleaming. He leaned forward, keeping his gaze on the detective. "How interesting... Do tell me more."

* * *

During a usual Thursday afternoon in Ikebukuro, where the rain had been reduced to a mere drizzle, Tanaka Tom shook his head with a hand covering his face for the most unusual reason.

"That's the fifth one today... And it isn't even lunch time yet."

"...Sorry, Tom-san," Shizuo said meekly.

"No, no, it's alright. It's just..." The dreadlocked man trailed off, removing his hand to watch a hazelnut brown-haired girl in a green jacket and dark blue shorts chasing after a debtor down the street, demanding the poor, haggard man to "pay up, or else feel pain beyond belief".

Tom could only sigh in response.

Noticing his senpai's disappointment, the blond clicked his tongue and did not hesitate to toss the chestnut brown-haired boy hiding behind a nearby lamppost a glare. 'The hell aren't you doing anything to stop her?' Shizuo mouthed to the teen.

Yosuke squinted before he mouthed back, 'Are you insane? If I go over there, Satonaka'll send me flying.' He flapped his arms as if to add to that effect.

"...Coward," the former bartender muttered under his breath, clearly not impressed at the teen in the least.

"Hm? You say something, Shizuo?"

"Ah, um...nothing, Tom-san."

From seemingly out of nowhere, Vorona decided to step in, her emotionless sky blue eyes staring after the younger girl who had just knocked the debtor down to the ground. "Shall I eliminate her for you, Senpai?"

"Don't," Shizuo replied.

The young assassin tilted her head to the side slightly. "But she has been troubling Shizuo-senpai and Tanaka-senpai all this while. A nuisance like her is to be eliminated. Is that not the case?"

"Well, 'eliminate' is too strong a word..." said Tom. "And look at it this way. The people she's chased so far end up clearing their debts, so it's not all bad. Although her method is a little bit..." he paused just in time to witness Chie rolling up her sleeves while yelling at the struggling debtor, "...unorthodox, so to speak."

The Russian considered his words carefully before she nodded in an almost robotic fashion. "Understood. 'Eliminate', inappropriate. A more suitable term would be 'reform' her method, make it less unorthodox. Yes?"

"Uh, yeah, you got it." Tom raised a brow. "I guess?"

Vorona gave another nod. "I see. So I shall take it upon myself to thoroughly discipline her into using a method that will not trouble Senpai."

Blanching at his female bodyguard's suggestion, Tom looked over to Shizuo in a pleading gesture. Having a fresh high school graduate suddenly show up, tackle the escaping debtors and scare them into paying up was enough; the dreadlocked man certainly didn't want to see Vorona's idea of "disciplining" others on top of that.

Noticing his senior's mental call for help, Shizuo sighed quietly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Uh... I don't think you should do that, Vorona."

The blonde looked confused again. "Is this not the situation where the superior requires to mete out punishment for unruly behaviour?"

"Not really... It's, uh...an exception this time."

"Exception?" Vorona echoed curiously. "It is possible to apply that concept even when one clearly deserves to be disciplined?"

"Well, in this case, yeah. Like Tom-san said, she _does_ get the money back in the end." Shizuo shrugged. "I mean, yeah, she gets in the way of our work, but it's not like she means anything bad about it."

The Russian hummed thoughtfully. "Is that so..."

"Heeeey!" a cheerful voice cut in. The group of debt collectors turned, and saw the brunette running towards them with a thick stack of bills in her hand. Behind her, the haggard debtor was scampering for the nearest hiding place he could find. "Sorry to keep you waiting! It took a while, but here," said Chie as she handed Tom the money.

The dreadlocked man accepted it with a sincere "Thank you" before routinely flipping through the notes. "You know, you, uh..." he started off awkwardly as he counted the money. "We really appreciate your help, but you don't have to chase those guys like that. We're pretty used to having people who don't pay up."

"Huh?" Chie replied. "But they should return what they borrowed, shouldn't they? And haven't they been shirking that off for a long time now? So all the more they oughtta pay back, right?"

"Negative," Vorona responded. "You may be correct, but you must also know when to apply the concept of exceptions."

Tom and Shizuo promptly turned to face the Russian, seeming rather impressed.

Chie frowned slightly. "Well, if the guy's tight on cash flow, then I understand, but those guys we saw today all have enough money on hand to pay off their debts. They've been trying to avoid paying up! Isn't that just wrong? Since they promised to pay up, they should hold onto that promise! It's only fair, after all!"

Vorona placed a finger on her chin, contemplating as she stared at the brunette.

"Yo, Satonaka," Yosuke, who was walking over, interrupted. It caused Tom and his bodyguards to redirect their attention to him instead, with Vorona watching him warily.

"Hey, what're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be keeping a lookout from a distance?" Chie glanced at their surroundings. "And where's Seta-kun? I thought he was together with you?"

"Yeah, about that..." The brunet showed his friend the screen of his smartphone. "After he talked to Vorona-san, I realised Souji was gone, and then I got this weird text from him about some important matter he wanted to tell me in person. I'm a little worried, so I'll be heading off to find him, but...will you be okay by yourself?"

"What, me?" Chie could feel the blood rising to her cheeks and mentally fought back a light blush. "Oh c'mon, I-I'm not _that_ pathetic. I can take care of myself and keep a close eye on Heiwajima-san at the same time, no problem! And it's not like you'd be away for long, so go on ahead!"

Yosuke gave her a smile of relief. "Great! I'll see you later, then!" When he sped off and made sure he was at a safe distance away, he added, "And don't give them any more trouble!"

The cadet's expression immediately soured at that. "What?! Who's giving anyone trouble now?!"

Tom quickly tried to calm her down. "Um...it's okay, you're not-"

"Saying that I'm troubling people when I'm helping them? Ugh, honestly! Who does he think he is?! I don't see _him_ offering to help out!" Chie got into a fighting stance. "That's does it! I am so beating Hanamura up the next time I see him!"

The dreadlocked man nearly sighed in exasperation.

Shizuo, who had been watching the exchange unfold before him, simply stole a glance at his watch and then pocketed the little device. "Hey, isn't it lunchtime now?" he casually pointed out.

Tom and Vorona stared at him quizzically while Chie whipped her head towards him. "It is?!" the brunette gasped in excitement. "Awesome! Can we go eat now? Can we? Can we?!"

Realisation dawned upon Tom. "Oh, uh...sure, why not? It's been a tiring morning, after all."

"Alright!" Chie exclaimed. "Hey, is there a good place for steak around here? I've been dying for some steak since like, forever!"

"Affirmative," Vorona replied as the group made their way towards a nearby lunch place. "Outback Steakhouse has a branch in Ikebukuro, among their many branches in Roppongi, Shibuya, and other parts of Japan."

Chie came close to drooling. "Ooooh, that sounds good~"

"...However, it is only open from 5pm to midnight on weekdays."

"...Ehhhhhhh?"

* * *

When Yosuke arrived at the meeting place provided by Souji, he found his partner conversing with a group of strangers near an ordinary-looking van which was parked by the pavement.

Souji was talking to a man who was taller than he and wore simply - a long-sleeved shirt and pants - along with a beanie. Standing behind this tall man was a blond, dressed in a plain hoodie and jeans, as well as a young brunette donned in a black cap and one-piece dress. They, along with a light brown-haired man who was leaning against the van, were simply watching Souji exchange words with who Yosuke assumed to be their leader in silence.

Uncertain if it was appropriate for him to interrupt, Yosuke waited at the opposite pavement. It wasn't long, however, before Souji noticed his presence and called out to him.

"Oh? Is this the friend you've been talking about? The one who moved in with you?"

"Ah...yes," Souji replied the older man while Yosuke hesitantly made his way over, oblivious to the way the woman's eyes suddenly twinkled for no apparent reason. "Yosuke," he said, turning to face his friend, "this is Kadota-san. He attended the same high school as Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san, so I thought we might be able to find out more about them if we talked to him."

The man whom Souji referred to as Kadota-san frowned a little. "Well, it's not like I know them that well... You'd have better luck with Kishitani, but you guys have already asked him, huh?"

Yosuke froze. "We...didn't exactly ask him about Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san specifically... The thought didn't cross my mind," he admitted. "Um, it's nice to meet you, Kadota-san. I'm Hanamura Yosuke."

"Nice to meet you too," Kadota replied, smiling. "So you're Hanamura. We heard all about you from Seta here."

"H-huh? Really?" Yosuke turned to look at his best friend, who casted him a rather sheepish expression.

"Kyaaah!" the lady clad in black suddenly squealed. "I can't take it anymore! Ne, ne, Sou-chan, could it be that you and Yoyo are…ufufu…_toget_-mmf?!"

"K-Karisawa-san, you can't just ask him such a personal question like that!" pleaded the blond, who had used his hands to cover the brunette's mouth.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Kadota rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. "Sorry about that," he said to the adolescents, who shook their heads and told him that it was fine. "Ah...right. Hanamura," the man continued, addressing the brunet before indicating to the pair standing behind him. "This is Karisawa Erika, and this is Yumasaki Walker." Then he indicated to the other man who was nearest to the parked vehicle and waving at them. "And that's Togusa Saburou."

"Uh, hi there," Yosuke greeted with a wave of his own. "So...are you all friends that Souji made when he moved here?"

"Hmm, well, not exactly. The four of us frequent Russia Sushi, you see. We heard about Seta here from Simon and sometimes we'd bump into him there, too," Kadota replied. "Oh, right, you said you wanted to ask me something?"

"That's right," Souji said with a nod. "Kadota-san, we're hoping we can learn more about Heiwajima-san and Orihara-san from you, so we'll need to ask you some questions. Is that alright with you?"

Kadota gave a light shrug. "Not sure if I'd be of much help, but alright."

"Thank you very much," Souji replied with a bow; Yosuke mirrored his actions. "Well, firstly... Have you heard of any rumours concerning them recently?"

"Rumours, you say." The man folded his arms, his frown deepening. "I did hear of something, but it's not exactly... How do I put it..."

"Is it about them finding Yagiri's body?"

Kadota stared at Souji with both brows raised. Walker and Togusa did the same, though they appeared more surprised than Kadota was. Erika, too, seemed to have calmed down and was paying full attention to the conversation at hand, causing Walker to release his grip on her.

"...So you've heard about that," Kadota commented with a sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Man, word sure spreads fast..."

"Where did you hear the rumour from?" Souji continued to question.

"Are you seriously asking that? What alternate universe are you living in, Souji-kun?" Walker spoke jokingly, fishing out his clamshell phone and flipping it open, its screen revealing an image of an online discussion forum. "Practically everyone's talking about it on the Internet, you know. The four of us are members of this particular forum, so we know all about the recent happenings in Ikebukuro through it."

"Oh right... This is the city we're talking about," Yosuke pointed out, mostly to his leader. "It's not like Inaba where people gossip openly."

"But the problem is who exactly originated the rumour." Souji's reply came in the form of a cautious whisper. "Naoto said that the police had already requested the media not to spread the news, and the students of Raira Academy wouldn't dare to lest they get into trouble... If we can find out who spread the rumour first, we might be able to identify the killer."

The brunet gave it some thought before he nodded subtly. "Yeah... You're right," he whispered back.

Watching this, Kadota's brows creased, but he made no move to ask the two teenagers about what they were hiding from him. If they weren't comfortable with sharing it with him, then he should leave them be, he decided.

"Uh..." Yosuke continued from where he and Souji had left off. "We were also wondering if any of you saw some kind of...strange thing appearing on your TV screens at night. Particularly during the past two days."

Before Kadota could even think of a reply, Erika leapt in front of him with a high-pitched squeal, her eyes sparkling brightly with excitement. "Oh my _gosh_," her voice rose an octave and then it lowered back down, "are you talking about the official ShizuIza video clip that was released yesterday?!"

"...Huh?"

Kadota and Togusa both shook their heads and sighed while Walker hurriedly made his way over and tried to pull an ecstatic Erika aside. "I-I'm really sorry, Karisawa-san is-"

"Did you see? Did you _see_?!" the fujoshi exclaimed, shoving her fellow otaku away harshly. Crimson tinted her cheeks as she recalled the misty image that was shown on-screen the night before. "How they stripped themselves before the eyes of millions? The way their naked bodies moved and snaked around each other in bed? Melding into one entirety like two jigsaw puzzles coming together?! Kyaaaaah~!"

Yosuke blanched. "Y...you c-can't possibly be serious..."

"Of _course_ I am!" Erika continued, despite Walker's efforts to seal her lips shut. "It was obviously Shizu-Shizu and Iza-Iza shown on TV last night! Declaring their undying love for each other! How could you not tell?!"

Souji blinked. "Was that what it was all about? I thought it was just the image being blur, but-"

"Dude," Yosuke was quick to answer, growing paler by the second, "don't ask."

While Souji was undeniably confused by it all, he took a mindful note of his friend's reaction and made sure not to ask any further about the matter for the rest of the time they were there with Kadota-san and the others. Much to Yosuke's - as well as Kadota, Walker and Togusa's - relief.

* * *

"...She's been in there for a long time, hasn't she? Naoto-kun, I mean."

At Yukiko's question, which shattered the silence that had enveloped them, Kanji raised his head and turned to face the door, and then he looked away solemnly. "...Yeah, she has."

Ever since Naoto showed them that message on her phone this morning, she had been acting rather strange while explaining to Orihara-san about the situation with the murder case. And when the informant spoke to her it sounded like he was on close terms with her, but in a way that really did not sit well with Kanji, and possibly Amagi-senpai as well.

Once all the explanations were done, Orihara-san even requested for Naoto to remain in the apartment, which Kanji didn't hesitate to oppose, but Naoto unexpectedly agreed to it. So while Yukiko and Kanji had been standing outside and keeping a lookout, Naoto had been in the informant's apartment all day long. It made Kanji extremely antsy, and he sent the detective countless text messages to make sure she was alright, but he didn't receive a single reply, which only served to add to his anxiety.

Kanji sighed. "Shouldn't we go in there...?" He suggested, worry and frustration evident in his tone.

The raven-haired manager fidgeted. "But Naoto-kun said she wanted to take this opportunity to ask about Orihara-san's involvement in another case... I'm not sure if-"

At that moment, the door creaked open. Stepping out from the apartment was a lethargic-looking Naoto, who heaved an exhausted sigh as she closed the door behind her and joined her teammates. "I must apologise to Amagi-senpai and Tatsumi-kun... You must have been standing here for so long..."

Yukiko shook her head. "Oh, it's okay, Naoto-kun. Please, don't apologise."

"Y-yeah, Naoto, we understand," Kanji agreed.

The detective's features pulled into a faint frown as she reached into the right pocket of her trench coat to remove her cell phone. "But... Tatsumi-kun was texting me all this time and I didn't..."

"O-oh, that?" The bespectacled teen scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed and awkward fashion. "I-it was nothin'. Really!" he added when he noticed the look of doubt that instantaneously flashed through Naoto's features. "Just... Just treat it like I had nothin' to do and felt like spammin' you, okay?"

Naoto kept her apologetic, yet inquisitive, gaze on him before she conceded and kept her phone. "Still, it was terribly rude and unbecoming of me to have you stand outside like this..."

"Um, if you don't mind telling us, Naoto-kun..." said Yukiko. "Why did it take you so long? I-I mean, we didn't mind standing out here at all, it's just...you were in there since morning. Did...did something happen?"

There was a brief moment of silence until Naoto broke it. "...No," she answered coldly. Kanji flinched at that. "No, nothing happened at all, Senpai. I simply took longer questioning a suspect than I had initially expected. Normally, such interrogation can be completed in just a matter of minutes, but Orihara-san is...unlike most suspects who try to escape conviction."

"A suspect trying to escape conviction... So Orihara-san was...?"

"Unfortunately, there's no concrete evidence to prove that he was truly involved. And interrogating him proved to be of little use, I'm afraid. I had thought that if the interrogation was prolonged, he would accidentally let slip of some crucial information... But perhaps I had underestimated him."

Yukiko nodded in understanding. "I see… So that's why..."

Kanji, however, didn't seem entirely convinced. "There's something else I don't get, though. Didn't Orihara-san say that the last time he saw you was two years ago? I mean, was that a lie or somethin'? 'Cuz you were in Inaba investigating the case back then, weren't you?"

"...Ahh," Naoto muttered. "Yes, I don't believe I've ever told the rest of you. Actually...prior to my arrival in Inaba, there was a short period of time where I lent my assistance to the local police here in Ikebukuro in investigating a particular case. There was an unusual rise in the number of residents who tried to commit suicide. The police subsequently discovered that these residents belonged to a few suicide groups that were being formed online, and these groups all came under the same administrator, who went by the alias 'Nakura'.

"The police exhausted all means and ways to track 'Nakura' down, but 'Nakura' never failed to evade them. After a few months with no leads to work on, they decided to ask my grandfather to help, but since Grampa was busy with another case, he passed it to me." A pause. "Unfortunately, even with my assistance, we were unable to apprehend 'Nakura', and eventually, the case was declared unsolved. I was...adamant, and decided to carry out the investigation by myself. And after some time, I finally managed to track 'Nakura' down." She lowered her gaze. "But...'Nakura' still managed to escape before I could even see their face. It was...disheartening, to say the least.

"It was around this time when I received news about the serial murder case in Inaba. I was reluctant to accept it, but then...well." Naoto gave a soft, nostalgic smile. "Of course, I never did give up on that 'Nakura' case, and continued looking into it when time permitted. And then a few days ago, I finally found a lead...when I read the file on Orihara Izaya-san."

"Ohh...so you suspected that Orihara-san is actually 'Nakura' after that?"

Naoto confirmed Yukiko's question with a nod.

"And when he said that he saw you two years ago... He was actually talking about that time when you nearly caught him?" asked Kanji.

"It would seem so," Naoto replied. "In fact, I wasn't even convinced myself if he was truly the 'Nakura' I had been pursuing all this while, but when Orihara-san mentioned that he had once met me...I became certain that he is the one." Then, she shook her head. "This is all simply a conjecture, however... Like I mentioned, there's no evidence to prove that he is indeed 'Nakura'. But that is not our main priority at the moment."

Kanji considered this before he nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We should be focusin' on the case we have right now."

"Agreed," said Yukiko. Then she gave Naoto a warm smile. "But regardless, thank you for sharing, Naoto-kun."

The detective smiled back. "No...I should be thanking you and Tatsumi-kun for listening."

"So...how's Orihara-san now?"

"Quite possibly asleep in his room. Before I could ask any further, he pointed out that it was late and that he wanted to get some rest...so I obliged." Naoto resisted the urge to sigh. "Well...how about you and Tatsumi-kun, Amagi-senpai? Did anyone suspicious come looking for Orihara-san?"

"None at all. Things were pretty quiet out here."

"I see... That's a relief." Naoto checked her wristwatch. "It's already midnight... I'm so sorry for making you wait this long... Um, shall we head back?"

While Yukiko nodded, Kanji hummed thoughtfully and folded his arms. "Midnight, huh? So I guess the Midnight Channel is being aired right now. I mean, since it's still raining."

"...That's a very good point, Tatsumi-kun," Naoto commented with a smile that made Kanji flush. "I think we should give Senpai a call to ascertain if-"

_**Pipipipi! Pipipipi! ... Pipi-**_

"Ah, hello? Chie?" Yukiko answered her cell, beaming and cheerful upon receiving her best friend's call. "What is it?"

Kanji and Naoto watched quietly as their senpai spoke, until Yukiko's face fell into a grave expression. "Eh...?" she murmured, her voice barely above a shaky whisper. As she slowly grew silent, a loud voice that clearly belonged to Rise could be heard coming from her cell phone.

Kanji's eyes widened. "Amagi-senpai, don't tell me...!"

At the same time, Naoto drew in a sharp breath, mentally preparing herself for her senpai to confirm everyone's suspicion.

Yukiko turned to face the pair. "Ch-Chie said...that the Midnight Channel showed a clear and vivid image tonight."

Kanji clicked his tongue and naturally mumbled a curse at the killer. Naoto, on the other hand, simply released the breath she had been holding and remained silent.

"So in the end, both of them got thrown in, huh?" Kanji grumbled.

To his and Naoto's surprise, however, Yukiko shook her head. "No...that's not it," she replied. "Only...only one of them did."

Naoto's eyes widened. "What?! But...that's..."

"That's impossible, ain't it?!" Kanji finished for the detective. "Didn't the both of 'em show up the past two nights? Doesn't that mean that both of them were targeted?!"

"I don't understand it myself..." Yukiko said regretfully.

Naoto closed her eyes. "...Understanding will have to come later." Then she reopened them with a determined frown. "Amagi-senpai...who is it?"

As Yukiko ended the call, her grip on her cell phone tightened. "It's..."

* * *

Huddled together on the sofa in the darkness of their apartment, a pair of shadows kept their eyes glued to the screen of their television set which had once again come to life for the third time that week.

A fistful of popcorn was suspended in mid-air when the screen produced a clear, distinct image - and someone they recognised stepped into the scenery.

And when words that sounded alien in that familiar someone's voice started spilling out from his very lips, the arm fell onto the sofa limply.

"...Iza-nii?"


	15. Backside of the TV

A/N: I gotta say, I actually planned out how this arc was supposed to go, but as I wrote this chapter, I just...totally disregarded that lol. So many new ideas popped into my head and it was hard to get them to work with the old ones. But that's the fun about writing, I guess! :)

As always, thank you all so much for reading/reviewing/favouriting/following this fic! :)

* * *

_An empty landscape that stretched into infinity._

_Mist that shrouded the area, enveloping it in a thick cloud of white._

_Snow that was falling from an invisible sky._

_In the middle of it all stood a lone man, his long, fur-trimmed winter coat rustling with the gentle wind. With the hood draped over his face and his hands in the coat pockets, the man raised his head, and then his lips curled into a twisted smile._

_"A pleasant good evening to all of you lovely viewers tuning into this programme tonight," the man greeted politely._

_"Bringing you this live broadcast is none other than yours truly, Orihara Izaya," he went on to say, placing his hand on his chest._

_"Tonight, I will be departing into unexplored territory. One that is fraught with inexplicable danger and infested with hostile forces! Now, doesn't that sound so thrilling?"_

_The man's face fell slightly._

_"Oh, but I wonder... Will you come and find me?" He glanced away. "It isn't any fun all by myself, after all. And it'll be positively frightening to go into such a dangerous place alone."_

_Then, almost instantaneously, the man made a merry spin on his feet._

_"Well~ no point mulling over that! I'm sure someone will come looking for me soon."_

_A vicious smirk crept its way onto his features._

_"Just try not to get yourself killed in the process. That would be so boring."_

_The man raised two of his fingers, giving the audience a peace sign._

_"Well then, I'll be heading off first! Don't take too long in catching up to me, ne?"_

_Then he leaned forward, revealing his blood red eyes under the hood as he gazed at the screen._

_"I'll be waiting for you."_

_And on that final note, the hooded man took off, venturing further and further into the unknown land that was laid out before him._

_And just as his entire figure melted into the curtain of mist and snow..._

_Peals of maniacal laughter erupted from all around him._

And then the image slowly died away.

* * *

**April 19, 2013**

"Hey, did you see? The thing that came on last night?"

"Yeah, it was creepy, man. The laughter at the end made me sick."

"And it was that Orihara Izaya who was in that creepy programme, too. Damn bastard pissed me off with those freakin' mood swings of his."

"The guy's an unstable freak. Who the hell would ever want to go looking for _him_?"

"Che. I hope _he_ dies out there, wherever that place is. After everything he did to us, that asshole deserves it."

"...Tch."

The sudden loud clicking of somebody's tongue caught the immediate attention of the group of delinquents were discussing among themselves. Just as they raised their heads, getting ready for a retort, their expressions of anger and frustration flashed to those of fear.

"You guys are so damn noisy it's getting on my nerves..." the newcomer to the discussion hissed, sending them a death glare. "Who the hell do you bastards think you are, talking behind somebody else's back like that?"

The teenagers trembled to the point that their knees were on the brink of buckling and giving way to the ground.

"I-it's H-Heiwajima Shizuo!"

"L-let's get outta here!"

And then they scurried away.

The man who sent them scampering like helpless mice simply watched until they disappeared from his sight before he joined a dreadlocked man and a young blonde who were standing on the opposite pavement. Their faces carried no traces of sympathy for the adolescents who unknowingly challenged the fortissimo of Ikebukuro's temper.

"Sorry for the holdup," Shizuo said quietly, a stark contrast to the harsh growl he had used on the teenagers just a moment ago.

"Don't worry about it," Tom replied with an understanding smile. "I'm a little surprised, though. I didn't think you'd stand up for Izaya like that."

"It's not..." Shizuo paused.

Was it standing up for Izaya that he did just now? It wasn't like it was what those guys said that made him angry, after all. It was more of the fact that they were talking shit about another person behind their back instead of walking up to that person and telling it to their face. If it had been somebody else they were talking about, Shizuo would do the same thing.

Besides, he didn't think he'd defend someone like Izaya either.

"...I just found them irritating," Shizuo finished.

Tom hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He stared after the street, which had been left deserted and quiet after the group of youngsters took their leave. With a light shrug directed at nobody in particular, Tom unfolded the piece of paper in his hands and skimmed through its contents. "Well, we should get back to work. It's a pretty long list today...whew, woulda look at that... Hm?" Tom turned to face Shizuo, giving him a curious look. "Oh yeah, what happened to the girl who helped us out yesterday?"

Vorona sent an equally inquisitive look to her senpai, who stiffened slightly. "Uh...she's busy today," Shizuo answered. _'Busy getting ready to save someone.'_

"I see... I have to admit, although she scared most of our clients off, she did help us out a great deal. I'd like to thank her, if possible."

The blond nodded. "I'll see what I can do, Senpai." And the topic was closed.

Putting the incident from earlier aside, the three of them didn't have much else left to discuss about, and so the debt collector and his two bodyguards simply walked towards their destination in silence. There were few cars and people wandering around at this point of the day; so few that they could hear the footsteps taken by one another as clearly as the sound of shattering glass.

It was only a moment after they had departed when Shizuo began giving the entire matter more thought.

Actually, there was another reason why he had flared up at those delinquents from earlier, but it wasn't for what Tom-senpai suggested. No, it was just that when he happened to overhear their conversation, memories of what Shizuo had seen the previous night flashed through his mind; memories which he tried so hard to ignore and forget. And remembering them riled him up.

Because the flea that had appeared on the weird programme last night was definitely not the flea Shizuo knew.

Sure, it had looked like the flea and sounded like the flea, but something about it seemed _off_. The mood swings were one thing; the crazy laughter, however...

Shizuo had heard the flea's laughs before - which were all damn freakin' _annoying_ - but the deranged laughter from last night didn't sound like it came from the flea at all.

_'...Oh right. Didn't those kids say that whoever appears isn't really the person who got thrown in? And it's some kind of...thing that comes from the person?'_ Shizuo tilted his head slightly upwards as he recalled what the group of teenagers told Shinra, Celty and him while two of their teammates were inside the TV two days ago.

Well, now that he thought about it, it wasn't that hard to believe if the flea-like thing from last night was something that came from the flea himself, actually, even though it still sounded weird. The flea had always been so damn shady about every single thing he did, after all.

But he had to admit, what _was_ hard to believe had been-

"Shizuo-saaaan!"

The former bartender instinctively turned in the direction of the familiar voice calling out to him. A cheerful, bespectacled young girl, dressed in a sailor uniform, whose dark brown hair was tied in two long braids waved at him excitedly as she dashed across the road towards him. Next to her was another young girl, her shoulder-length hair of the same shade of brown, wearing a high school gym outfit and a blank expression as she kept up with her companion.

There was a quiet "Geh" coming from Tom at the sight of the pair of girls while Vorona, tossing them a rather cold gaze, was about to step in front of Shizuo only to be stopped by the man himself. "It's okay, you know 'em too, remember?" Shizuo paused, giving his kouhai a smile. "But...thanks."

Vorona stared at him curiously before taking a closer look at the girls, and then, without a word, stepped aside.

"Sorry, Tom-san, I'll try to handle this quickly."

"Nah, it's okay, Shizuo. Take your time." Despite his own words, however, Tom didn't seem all that supportive of the idea of having the girls linger around for too long.

Shizuo gave a nod and then he walked towards the pair, who sped up at the gesture. "Shizuo-sa-oof!"

Calmly, the blond moved down the pavement until they were no longer within earshot distance of Tom and Vorona before he set the girls down on their feet. "...Kururi, Mairu," he acknowledged. "What the hell are you two doing here? If it's about Kasuka..."

"Buu-buu! You got it wrong, Shizuo-san," Mairu replied sunnily, sticking a tongue out. "We're looking for Iza-nii!"

Shizuo couldn't help but flinch at the response.

"House... Absent... (We went to his apartment but we couldn't find him there.)" Kururi explained. "Arrival... Discovery... (So we came here to look for him.)"

"Yeah! 'Cause we thought Iza-nii might have come over here. Have you seen him, Shizuo-san?" Mairu looked around with a hand over her eyes.

Shizuo's stern expression softened. _'...Should I tell them?'_ he contemplated, keeping his eyes on the twins who were trying to find an older brother that was no longer in their world. _'They might not be on good terms with the flea, but they have the right to know.' _Shizuo lowered his head. _'But, still...'_

To tell them that their brother had been taken away by a murderer? That they had to rely on just a bunch of teenagers to rescue him? That there was nothing they could do except wait?

_"We can't guarantee that we'll be able to rescue you if you were to enter there..." _the words of the teenagers' leader suddenly surfaced in Shizuo's mind.

If what the kid said applied to him, then didn't it also mean...?

...The fact that _Orihara Izaya_ fell to some unknown person's trap was still very hard to swallow, let alone the possibility that he might really-

Shizuo shook his head with a sigh. He couldn't imagine how Izaya's sisters would react if they were to know.

"Shizuo-san?" Mairu's voice broke the blond's train of thought.

"...Sorry, I don't remember seeing him," Shizuo answered. While he didn't want the twins to know the truth, he sure as hell wasn't going to cook up some kind of lie for them. "But if he dares show his face around here, I'll make sure to send him flying across Ikebukuro."

Mairu's mouth opened, ever so slightly, for just a brief moment before it turned into a pout. "Not...not if _we_ get to him first! Right, Kuru-nee?"

The quieter of the two simply nodded with a slight frown.

Shizuo's brows creased. Something about the twins' reaction didn't seem right. "Hang on, aren't you two supposed to be in school right now? Why're you even looking for the flea in the first place?"

"That's..." Mairu and Kururi stared at the ground and then at each other, hesitantly, before raising their heads again to meet Shizuo's eyes. "Well, actually...we saw something weird on TV last night."

"...Oh," Shizuo muttered.

"And it's not just us. Almost everybody in school saw it, too. We heard them talking about it. The teachers, too." The younger twin reached for her sister's hand and grasped it tightly. "The more they talked about it, the more we wanted to know what happened last night, so Kuru-nee and I decided to skip."

"Locate... Brother... (And we've been trying to find Iza-nii ever since.)" Kururi added.

"It's still no reason to skip school," Shizuo lightly reprimanded. "Hurry up and run back before you get into trouble."

"Don't wanna~" Mairu didn't even give his advice any thought. "We're not going back till we find Iza-nii."

Shizuo's frown deepened. He decided to try another approach. "Look, I know you're worried about your brother-"

"_Worried_?" Mairu tried but ended up failing to bite back the series of giggles that escaped her lips. Even the normally stoic Kururi had to turn away and hide a quiet snicker behind her hand. "Yeah right. We just want to know if the thing last night was Iza-nii's doing, that's all. I mean, if he really is in some dangerous place like he said, then all the better for everyone, right? But if he's just messing around, like the Iza-nii we know, then it's up to Kuru-nee and I to punish him~"

"Affirmative... (Precisely.)"

"So yeah, we're not going back until we see Iza-nii with our own eyes!" Mairu sang.

Shizuo sighed. _'...Sorry, Tom-san, looks like I'm gonna take longer than I thought.'_

* * *

The unexpected turn of events from the previous night brought Souji and his team back to Kishitani-sensei's apartment in the cold, rainy afternoon of Friday, after Souji and Yosuke were done with their morning lectures.

If they had a choice, they would have gathered in the food court of a shopping mall with an electronics department as opposed to the relatively smaller living room of somebody else's apartment, but as things had turned out, such a choice didn't exist.

"This is the safest place to enter through," Rise said, the exhaustion from the search still evident in her voice. "The other TVs we've tried led us to places with a lot more Shadows, so this is the best we have right now."

"It's not ideal, but we'll deal with it," Chie added.

Souji and Yosuke, who had been listening to their teammates filling them in, both nodded at that.

"Got it," the leader replied. "Thanks, Rise, Teddie. It's been hard on you."

The two of them protested against that by shaking their heads while flashing Souji rejuvenated smiles.

"Alright. Since we'll be facing some Shadows the moment we enter, we should decide on our strategy now." As he spoke, Souji looked over his team, making sure they were listening attentively. "It's been a while since we've done this, so to be safe, we'll have those with the most experience forming the main team who will be on the frontline." The silver-haired adolescent locked eyes with his former classmates. "Yosuke, Satonaka, Amagi, that'll be the four of us. Are you ready for that?"

"Not a problem at all, partner," Yosuke affirmed. Chie and Yukiko agreed.

Then the leader of the Investigation Team turned to face the others. "Kanji, Naoto, the both of you will form the backup team. Remember, saving the victim is important, but your safety takes precedence over anything else. No rushing into things."

"...Understood," Naoto replied quietly.

"Yeah, we know what to do," Kanji assured.

Souji's unwavering gaze lingered on the detective for a moment before it moved on to the remaining two members of his team. "Don't push yourself, Rise," he murmured, his eyes softening. "Teddie, I'm leaving Rise in your care."

Teddie gave a vigorous nod. "You can count on me, Sensei!"

With redness tinting her already rosy cheeks, the idol let a giggle escape her lips. "Honestly, Senpai, I'm not _that_ fragile from returning to showbiz, you know. So don't worry about me. I'll be perfectly fine."

"I'm not leaving you unprotected when there are Shadows around," Souji said firmly.

Rise smiled. "I know, Senpai."

Souji gave her a look of mild disapproval, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. "Okay. With that settled, let's go through our items. Did you guys manage to find the store?"

"Yes," Yukiko answered. "Satomi Tadashi Drugstore, was it? It had all that we needed." She opened up the large travelling bag that the team had taken with them, revealing some Medical Kits and Chewing Souls, among many other things that were also sold in the Shiroku Store back in Inaba. "We also dropped by the fresh produce section in one of the supermarkets here and bought some of the vegetables there."

Souji and Yosuke looked mildly surprised at that and went on to check the vegetables Yukiko had spoken of. Yosuke's eyes widened slightly. "These crops... Aren't they...?"

The manager of the Amagi Inn nodded enthusiastically. "It's Inaba."

A smile of relief and joy was painted on Yosuke's face. "That's so great. They really did it," he muttered to himself. "Huh? But, wait..."

_'Just a few days ago, when I first came here and went shopping for nabe ingredients...' _the brunet reminisced. _'Oh that's right. It was Souji who picked them out and prepared the nabe, so I couldn't tell back then, but the vegetables...'_

Yosuke looked at his partner, as if seeking confirmation, and he got the answer he needed when Souji smiled at him knowingly.

"Seeing the town so alive and full of energy, willing to give themselves another chance to make a name for themselves... And now they've done it." Chie rubbed her nose absentmindedly, looking slightly teary-eyed. "It really felt that it was all worth it. Solving the case and stuff."

"Yeah..."

Everyone glanced up at the ceiling, smiling fondly as memories of Inaba and her townspeople surfaced in their minds.

"...Alright," Kanji was the first to break the silence. "We've done it before. We can do it again, yeah? Let's crack this case and nab the killer!"

"Together," Yukiko added. Her teammates nodded simultaneously at that.

"Come on," Souji spoke with hope and renewed determination, "let's split our items up."

The team, with the exception of Rise, proceeded to do just that, putting as much as they could in their pockets and the waist pouches which they kept hidden beneath their clothes. At the same time, they checked their glasses and weapons before concealing them from view - a habit of theirs rather than a necessity under current circumstances.

After the few minutes of the final round of preparation, Souji quickly inspected his teammates, and then he said, "Good. Looks like we're all ready. Any questions before we head in?"

"Um...what about Shizuo-san? He's not really in the clear yet, right?" Rise asked, partially out of concern for the man himself, but mostly on behalf of his younger brother whom she had worked with before.

Being an only child, Rise couldn't really say she understood how it felt like to have a sibling in danger, but when she visualised her grandmother being all alone in Inaba with no one to protect her amidst the kidnappings and murders two years back, it made Rise's heart ache with worry. She imagined herself as Risette, away in the city and being flooded by work... Just an ordinary citizen who was separated from her family. Knowing that there was a group of people fighting to protect her hometown where her family lived would certainly have brought her a lot of comfort. The same must go for Kasuka-senpai too, Rise believed.

"Ah, don't worry," Yosuke answered, "Souji already asked Vorona-san to keep an eye on him for us if we're not there. She was a little wary at first, but hey, it was Souji, you know." The brunet gave his best friend a wink.

"I didn't really do anything..." Souji replied sheepishly.

"Well, basically, I guess it means he's safe for now. But we can't let our guard down, so we have to make it back here before it gets too late at night."

"I see." Rise gave a quiet sigh of relief. "Thanks, Senpai."

"No problem," Souji said. Then, with the smile on his face wiped off swiftly, he faced his friends, and waited for the briefest of moments before he continued, "Alright. If there are no further questions, we'll be heading in now." He quickly shifted his attention to the other two occupants in the room he had yet to address all this while - a bespectacled, brown-haired man and a headless woman in a black riding suit - who had been watching everything in silence. "Kishitani-sensei, Celty-san, thank you for letting us use your TV. And...I'm sorry.

"We've been doing nothing but intrude on you since Wednesday, and we got you involved in this...all because of my own carelessness that night." The others, Yosuke in particular, were about to protest against that, but Souji quickly prevented them from doing so, "But Celty-san and Kishitani-sensei have been so kind and helpful despite all that. Really...thank you so much."

Celty did not hesitate to type out her reply. [Please don't apologise or thank us, Souji-kun. It was our choice to get ourselves involved in this.] When she made sure that everyone had read the message, she erased it and typed out another. [Do be careful in there.]

"We will."

"...Souji-kun." Shinra's voice, which had been full of energy and liveliness for the past few days Souji knew him, was now sullen and strangely detached, almost like how Margaret sounded before he first met her alone. "About Izaya..."

When the doctor trailed off, leaving a pregnant pause in its wake, Souji nodded. "I understand. We'll do our best to save him." The leader of the Investigation Team met his teammates' eyes once more before directing his gaze to the television screen. "Let's go," he said as he sunk his hand into the screen and allowed himself to fall through completely.

It had been almost a year since travelling to the TV world, but the frequent trips he made back then allowed Souji's body to adjust to the intimidating sense of falling as naturally as blinking. The cold, stale air whipped around him violently as Souji drew closer towards solid ground. Mist was beginning to shroud his vision, and he reached into the pocket where he kept his glasses.

It wasn't long until Souji caught sight of specks of sickly yellow against a dark shade of brown. In a practised, fluid motion, he spun into an upright position, allowing him to land safely. One by one, his teammates followed him.

Souji chose that moment to put on his spectacles, and they took effect instantly, permitting him to have a much clearer look at the world he had just stepped into.

What could be called a sky was made up of nothing but black, thundering clouds looming over them ominously. When lightning flashed, it flashed a dangerous shade of scarlet.

Unlike the cryptic image of human-like figures and ripples alternating between black and white, the ground here was plain, tainted only by what appeared to be shrivelled up grass and weeds. It sunk in slightly, leaving a distinct print of the soles of Souji's shoes as he walked around the area.

"Sure is foggy in here..." Kanji commented as he set his Aegis Shield down, switching his normal pair of spectacles to the shades he used when moving around in the TV world.

"And there are Shadows around, just like what Rise-chan and Teddie said," Yukiko was quick to point out, readying her Suzaku Feather.

While adjusting her own pair of glasses, Chie kicked a tiny Shadow crawling on the ground into pieces using her Sleipnir boots. "Is it just me, or is it a lot colder than I remember?" As she spoke, puffs of white smoke escaped her lips.

"Chie-chan's right," said Teddie, already in his bear suit and equipped with his Platinum Claw. "It wasn't _this_ cold when Rise-chan and I came here."

"It must be because Orihara-san is here." Souji brought out his Blade of Totsuka and engaged a nearby large Shadow in battle before it could notice their presence. "Rise, can you sense him?"

"...He's in here, that's for sure," Rise replied as she scanned the area using Kanzeon's abilities. "And since it's pretty cold where we are now, he has to be somewhere near here."

"But...?" Yosuke said, casually joining his partner in eliminating the Shadow using his Hattori.

With Kanzeon's visor over her eyes, nobody could notice Rise frowning as she focused on locating the informant. "It's really weird... I mean, I _know_ he's here, but I just can't find him, for some reason. It's like there's something blocking me, just...not completely, I guess."

"Are you able to give us a general direction, at least?" Naoto suggested as she fired her Algernon at another stray Shadow.

"...I think...it's this way," Rise answered hesitantly, raising her right hand to point in the northwest direction.

"Okay," Souji acknowledged, sheathing his katana after the Shadow he was fighting dissipated. "We need to hurry there before more Shadows come here, otherwise we'd never see the end of them."

The others, chorusing their agreements, swiftly finished off the remaining Shadows in the vicinity before heading northwest. Their shoe prints trailed behind them with every step they took across the ground, which looked - and felt - as soft as damp soil. The supposed dirt clung onto the soles, and showed no hesitation in staining the main body of the team's shoes as they bolted towards their destination.

As the distance between that and the team shortened, the clearer the view of a towering wall - made up crystalline bricks and cement - that was, undoubtedly, not a part of this world until a human invaded the Shadows' home. The group only stopped when they felt they were near enough to the vortex of red and black ripples that served as the entrance to the product of Orihara Izaya's mind.

"Is this it, Rise?" Yosuke asked the idol. "It looks kinda...simple. A bit _too_ simple, if you ask me."

"Yeah, after meeting the guy yesterday, I thought he'd make a palace or somethin'. This is just...a wall," Kanji deadpanned.

Though the doubt was evident in her features as well, Rise gave a nod. "I'm positive. It's still pretty weak, but I'm definitely picking up Orihara-san from inside there. And look, isn't it snowing around here? I mean, it doesn't seem as heavy as it did on the Midnight Channel, but Orihara-san was shown in some place that was snowing, right?"

"Hm... If Kujikawa-san has detected the presence of Orihara-san, regardless of how faint it might be, then we should have no reason to doubt the origin of this structure," Naoto responded curtly. "However, I suspect that this wall might be responsible for temporarily limiting the effectiveness of Kujikawa-san's ability. We must proceed with caution."

"I agree." Souji turned to face his teammates. "Alright. Yosuke, Amagi, take care of the sides. Satonaka, you'll be keeping an eye out for enemies that may appear from the back. Kanji, Naoto, move in only when Rise gives the signal. Teddie, I'm counting on you to protect Rise and help her in any way possible." A pause. "It's going to be tough, but we need to rescue Orihara-san today. It'll be storming tonight, so the fog might set in tomorrow. We can't afford to make any mistakes."

The rest of the team didn't reply, and simply nodded with grim expressions painted on their faces.

"Remember, conserve your strength, but not at the expense of your own safety. And don't hesitate to use the items you have. The four of us will be going in first. Rise."

"Already on it," the brunette replied, analysing the interior of the wall through the visor that Kanzeon brought down. "...Naoto-kun's right, whatever this wall is made of, it's blocking me out. Normally, I can tell for sure if someone's been trapped inside, but this time, I can barely sense Orihara-san. It's almost like...he's there and he's not at the same time."

"Like trying to catch a fish in murky water..." Souji mumbled to himself before speaking in a louder voice, "I understand, Rise. Maybe you'll be able to look further when we go through the entrance. But if you still can't detect much, then you'll have to try going in yourself. Are you okay with that?"

"Of course, Senpai."

"Thank you." When no further comments were made by his teammates, Souji directed his attention to the entrance and readily unsheathed his blade. "Let's move off," he said as he dashed forward, with Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko right behind him.

* * *

"...Well, this is the place."

A figure dressed in a baggy long-sleeved grey turtleneck and tight fitting pants stepped into the room. Tilting the tip of the black baseball cap on his head, the figure, who looked like a man in his mid-twenties, observed his surroundings.

The room's walls and floor were all painted white. There were no windows nor air ducts; just a normal ceiling fan providing all ventilation by itself. In the heart of this world of white laid a simple, horizontal wooden table that stretched from the left side of the room to the right. A glass panel that was just as long and tall enough to reach the ceiling was attached to the table. It was as if the table and panel had acted like a barrier, splitting the white world into two halves. In each half was a plain brown chair, looking anything but inviting and comfortable.

"Please, do have a seat," the uniformed man who led the way said in such a timely manner that it was almost as if he were making a mockery of the young man. "It shouldn't take very long. I'll go check if he's on his way."

And then he left, leaving the capped figure by himself.

With nothing better to do, the figure sat on the chair and took out what appeared to be a pass from his pocket. Hanging his head low, he stared at it, and ran his fingers across the plastic.

Then, as what the uniformed staff had said, it wasn't long before the door on the other half of the room opened, allowing a man in his late twenties to enter. He had unkempt dark brown hair, and wore a set of white shirt and shorts that hung from his thin body loosely. He looked at the capped figure with dull, lazy eyes as he dragged his slippers over to the chair and took a seat.

It was the capped figure who picked up the phone on his side of the table first and held it to his ear. A long, quiet moment passed before the brown-haired man gave a sigh and took the phone as well.

"...Yeah? Whaddya want?" he drawled, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "I don't like having visitors. Especially when they're strangers like you. So make it quick before I decide to leave."

The capped figure did not respond.

The brown-haired man clicked his tongue. "Look here. I only bothered to come because I was curious to know who was so _desperate_ to see me that they had some row with the guys at the counter and nearly barged in here without getting special permission," he said sweetly yet dryly. Though he could not see it, the eyes of the capped figure narrowed to slits. "But if you came to waste my time, then I'm not playing your game anymore." And with that, he hung up.

Just as he got up from his seat and turned away, the capped figure knocked on the glass twice. "Like I _said_," the man spat, tilting his head back, "if you're just trying to kill time, then-...huh?" Almost immediately, he sat back down, keeping his now widened eyes on the pass the figure was holding up against the glass. Reluctantly, the man picked up the phone again, and spoke into it, "You... Who the hell are you?"

In a swift motion, the figure kept the pass and turned his cap around, revealing a pair of emotionless brown eyes staring back at the man's own. "Pleased to meet you, Adachi Tooru-san," the figure said coolly, his voice rough and slightly masculine. "I'm here on behalf of the Ikebukuro Police Force concerning the murders that took place in Inaba two years ago. You may call me Nakura."


	16. Unknown I

A/N: While thinking of the design for Izaya's dungeon, I had a hard time deciding what its bgm would sound like. Since I personally love the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, I started my search from there, and now I've narrowed my choices between Crystal Crossing and Treeshroud Forest. Both convey what I'm trying express really well in their own ways, which makes it really hard to decide... A remix of the two together without sounding too overwhelming would actually be perfect, I think. Hmm...

As usual, thank you for reading/following/reviewing/favouriting this story! :)

* * *

**April 19, 2013**

**Unknown, 1F**

The transition between the frost-covered land to that of the interior of the crystalline wall was almost like stepping into another dimension altogether. While the same could certainly be said for the other "dungeons" the team had gone to in the past, the experience this time felt a little different.

The sudden drop in the surrounding temperature aside, the inside of the wall looked nothing like what Souji had expected. For one thing, the area of the floor was immensely vast, and the ground was made of soil with small fields of crystals of various colours found in random parts of the ground, giving the appearance of a cave rather than the interior of a wall. At the same time, there were wooden boxes and sealed potato sacks resting against the sides of the room, and knives with crystalline blades embedded in the wall where a glistening gate were located, encircling it like a frame made from gems.

In the heart of this particular room they were in, there was also a pond, unfrozen despite the extremely cold weather. Water dripped from the ceiling and into the pond, causing ripples at regular but long intervals. A thin cloud of mist that drifted over the area was most visible against the sparkling pond, which seemed to be the main light source in the dim cave-like interior.

"Well, this is...impressive," Yosuke commented. "Though I have to say, I'm not really sure what all this is supposed to be. I mean, are we inside a cave within a wall or something?"

"Maybe the wall is blocking the cave and we can only get in through the swirly vortex thing," Chie suggested.

"...But doesn't that defeat the purpose of having the wall?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not the one who made this place," the brunette answered with a frown.

Before Yosuke could reply, Souji cut in, "Hang on, I'm trying to get a connection with Rise." At that, his teammates fell silent in anticipation for their junior's voice. When a few seconds passed with no response, Souji raised his left hand to cover his left ear, and glanced upward at the ceiling. It wasn't like doing this action in particular would help much, if at all, but at least it could serve to drown out any sounds in the surroundings. "Rise, are you there?"

There was a brief telepathic sizzle, like feedback from a faulty radio, before faint traces of Rise's voice could be heard. _"...ai... C...ou he..."_

"...I can barely hear you, Rise. Are you able to hear me, at least?"

No response.

"Rise?"

Another sizzle, and then the connection was completely cut off.

With a sigh, Souji lowered his arm. "Something's definitely not right about this place." He turned to face his teammates, holding the hilt of his katana with both of his hands. "But there's no other choice. We'll just have to move on while we wait for Rise to re-establish the connection. If we don't reach the last floor in time, it'll be too late to save Orihara-san." There was a haunted look in Souji's dull, grey eyes as he said this and dropped his gaze.

"Seta-kun...?" Yukiko whispered concernedly.

Yosuke placed a comforting hand on Souji's shoulder, sharing an equally grave look. "Take it easy there, partner. We know we can't afford to slip up when it's someone's life on the line, but all the more we have to relax and do this like we always did, right?" An uneasy grin replaced the earlier frown. "I'm sure things will turn out fine."

The grey-haired adolescent met his best friend's eyes. "But Yosuke, you..."

"Hm?"

Souji hesitated, and then his grim expression vanished almost instantly. "No, nothing. You're right. Thanks, Yosuke."

This time, the brunet wore a genuine smile. "Any time, partner."

Souji flashed him back with a tiny smile of his own before it disappeared. "Sorry about the holdup. I shouldn't have mentioned that," Souji apologised to his team, his grip on the hilt of his Blade of Totsuka tightening slightly. "Come on, let's move out from here." Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko gave their agreement.

As Souji took the first step in the mission, Yosuke got ready by sliding his headphones over his ears until they rested comfortably on his head and holding onto his Hattori tightly. Amagi, on the other hand, had already unfolded her trusty fan and brought it up in a defensive stance. Satonaka started stretching her legs, continuously skipping in one spot until her teammates in front of her took off.

Their leader ran in the direction of the gate, the only visible entrance to any other part of this cave. With no known information about it, Souji could only experiment with the surrounding knives as well as the crystals on the gate themselves in order to figure out a way to open the pathway. It was only when he gave the dangling knife by the right a hard twist that a 'crack' sound was heard and the gate lifted.

The corridor leading to the next and only room visible was dark and warm. It was made out of stone, which would have felt cold if not for the lit torches lined along the walls.

"Hey, this place..." Yukiko started. "Doesn't it look like part of an actual underground dungeon?"

Chie looked around once more. "Now that you mention it, you're right... It _does_ look like a dungeon. Running through this corridor makes me feel like I'm some kind of dungeon warden or something."

In front of her, Yosuke groaned. "This place doesn't make any sense. First, it's a wall, then it's a cave, and now it's a literal dungeon? Plus it can block Rise out, for some reason. And let's not forget that we're only on the _first freakin' floor_." He shook his head. "Ugh, I just hope it won't get worse from here on out."

"Don't jinx us, Hanamura! Sheesh."

"R-right, sorry."

At nearly the same time, the team reached the locked gate. Souji promptly turned the knife that was in the same position as that of the first room, and the four of them waited patiently as the gate ascended.

Cautiously, Souji entered the adjacent room, which looked like a carbon copy of the first room they were in, but with a smaller - but deadlier-looking - pond at its core. Bubbles rose to the surface of the water rapidly; the water was dyed a sickly shade of black, as though a layer of black oil coated it, and it didn't give off any glow which would have helped serve as their light source in this area.

Remaining by the entrance where the gate had parted way, Souji took a quick glance around and found two more such gates: one directly opposite of him, and the other at his right. Gut instinct told him to choose the opposite gate.

The group made their way over safely, making sure to avoid the bubbling black pond, and stepped through when the entrance was opened. The dungeon corridor was now split in two opposite directions, both paths leading to different parts of the floor, no doubt. With no way of knowing what lied ahead except to take the risk and venture further, Souji thoughtlessly ran to his right. It only took a few steps before a dark creature crawling on the ground came into view, its back turned on the four teenagers approaching it.

_'A Shadow...! This is a good chance!'_

With that thought in mind, the leader of the Investigation Team raised his katana and swiftly brought it down onto the black mass. The others quickly fell into position, ensuring that the Shadow was surrounded, and readied their respective weapons as the Shadow started to morph. It split into three, slowly forming distinct but similar shapes - a ridiculously plump humanoid figure donning a formal PD attire, its face covered by a mask, and possessing a gun and handcuffs as hands. A golden key rested in the large hole in its stomach.

"Okay, we have the advantage for now. Use this chance to identify the enemy's weakness," instructed Souji, who wasted no time in raising his right hand to allow a glistening blue tarot card that manifested from out of nowhere to drift into his palm. Immediately, he crushed the card, the sound of shattering glass reverberating in the area as he did so, and then the ghostly apparition of Japan's original god faded into existence.

Raising his chest upwards, Izanagi called upon the lightning, which struck the Fuzz Shadow in a soft sizzle. The deformed policeman-like figure collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

"Whoa, you hit its weakness right off the bat!" Chie exclaimed excitedly.

"Excellent!" Yukiko cheered.

Yosuke gave his friend a thumbs-up, tapping his foot to the beat of his music. "Keep going, partner!"

Relieved that the Shadow didn't reflect or absorb the attack, Souji summoned Izanagi once more to deliver a Zio to the other two Fuzzes, knocking them down.

In the corner of his vision, Souji saw his teammates running up to him, forming a line in front of the fallen Shadows.

"Alright. One for all and all for one!" Yosuke initiated the cue for the usual group attack. When Souji nodded in confirmation, the brunet shouted an "Okay!" and yelled for the Shadows to get out of their way as the team charged forward and repeatedly hit the Shadows with all their might using their weapons.

The vicious, mostly one-sided brawl in a place as cramped as the corridor inadvertently chipped off small pieces of stone and accumulated dusty particles in the air, forming a dense cloud of dust and dirt surrounding the team and their enemies. And though the Shadows were crumpled onto the floor and too stunned from the earlier Zio attack to conjure up the strength and concentration required to cast any spells, they put up a commendable struggle with the four Persona-users, occasionally sending them flying out of the cloud.

When the Fuzzes showed signs of recovery, Souji ordered his team to fall back, which they did so with no questions asked. The cloud parted way to reveal the Shadows pulling themselves back on their feet, clearly not willing to give up the last bit of life left in them.

"They just don't know when to quit, do they?" Yosuke grumbled, rubbing the blood oozing from the thin cut on his chin off distractedly.

"And neither do we!" Chie added, determination blazing in her eyes. "Yukiko, you ready?"

"Whenever you are, Chie!" the raven-haired girl responded as the two of them ran towards each other.

Then, simultaneously, a pair of glowing blue tarot cards appeared before them, and the duo quickly crushed the cards - Yukiko with her fan, and Chie, her boot - bringing Suzuka Gongen and Amaterasu to life. The female warrior raised her double-edged lightsabre with her right hand and the sun goddess raised her sword with her left before the two Personas brought them down in tandem, pointing their weapons at the hunched over Shadows.

Almost immediately, two majestic dragons, their entire bodies dyed a magnificent gold, emerged from the ground, soaring in the air in a mesmerising dance as a massive, red flower directly under the Shadows unfolded its petals in a grand gesture. The legendary creatures then dived straight into the heart of the flower where the Fuzzes stood, the impact causing the entire area to be engulfed in blinding gold and red as the air rained torn petals.

As the shining colours died away, so did the dragons, the flower, and the Personas that summoned them. The corridor was intact, with no sign of fallen petals or the dragons bursting forth from the ground, as though the brilliant display was but a figment of everyone's imagination, but the charred remains of the Fuzzes that lied on the ground said otherwise.

Chie wiped away the perspiration trickling down from her forehead with a proud grin on her face. "Whew, we managed to pull that one off somehow," she said, stretching her arms. While she spoke, Yosuke had gone to the pile of remains to scavenge for any money or intact body parts; Souji, for some reason, was standing nearby with a hand on his back, but Chie was too excited to pay it much attention. "I mean, it's been, what, more than a year since we last tried that move?"

"Mm-hm. And it came out so well, too." Despite the grime on her face and clothes, the manager of a traditional family ryokan smiled cheerfully.

Chie laughed. "It sure did! I hope we get to do it again!"

"Hey, Satonaka, Amagi!" Yosuke called out. "It's time to get a move on!"

The girls turned and nodded to each other, a silent gesture of their agreement, before they joined the boys in running down the corridor.

* * *

"Come on out here, Rokuten Maoh!"

At the bellow of his master's command, the colossal figure of the sword-wielding king of hell manifested above Kanji's head and swept his weapon across an unsuspecting Twins. The Shadow, taking the full brunt of the attack, screeched in pain before it degenerated, leaving only a handful of coins in its wake.

While Naoto walked over to retrieve the money, Kanji moved to the entrance of the room, keeping a lookout for any Shadows that might have been loitering outside for a chance to catch them by surprise.

"The coast's clear," Kanji informed his companion, who had just picked up the last of the coins on the ground.

"Understood. Let's carry on."

The pair then slowly made their way down the empty corridor, their path lit only by the flames of the torches. With just the two of them, neither of whom was capable of executing any healing spells, in an unpredictable place where considerably high-levelled Shadows gathered and crept about, they couldn't take the risk of literally running into any enemies that could be lurking around corners.

A brief moment of silence passed over before Kanji ended it, "It feels like...we're walking around in circles, aren't we?"

Naoto raised her head to meet Kanji's dark grey eyes. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, it's..." Kanji paused to frown. "Well, we can't hear Rise, right? Normally, she'd do some..._thing_ that can let us see where we're going. But since she can't even talk to us now, she's not able to do whatever it is that she usually does, so when we think we're going somewhere different, we might be going back to the same place over and over."

Naoto's brows creased, appearing deep in thought. "I see. So it seems that Tatsumi-kun shares the same feeling as I."

The Third Year couldn't fight back the blood rushing to his cheeks. "F-feeling?"

"About the possibility that we may not be making progress."

"O-oh, right. That." Kanji rubbed the back of his neck shyly.

Naoto gazed at him intently yet confusedly, but did not question Kanji about his usual strange behaviour, and went on to say, "While I wouldn't eliminate the likelihood that Kujikawa-san being unable to communicate with us is connected, I am inclined to believe that there is another underlying reason behind this matter we are facing." The detective took Kanji's silence as her cue to continue, "Orihara-san's Shadow...or rather, Orihara-san himself is denying us any further access."

"Huh, but...why?" After all, no matter how bad their own issues were, nobody's Shadow had ever stopped the team from reaching the top - or the bottom, in Naoto's case - before. Even Naoto's Shadow didn't go that far in rejecting them.

So it came as no surprise when Naoto sighed in response to Kanji's question. "Unfortunately, I have yet to identify any justifiable reason. I can only make assumptions." She looked at her surroundings. "Regardless, there must be a way to locate the stairs. Perhaps we simply need to keep going."

"Like some kinda endurance test, huh?" Kanji sighed. "Man...I just hope we can get there in time."

"...Likewise," Naoto agreed quietly.

Kanji turned to look at her. "...Naoto?"

The detective gave him a sideway glance. "What is it?"

Kanji kept his eyes on her, and then he turned away, shaking his head. "S'nothin'."

Naoto, too, continued staring at her companion before she redirected her attention to the front, her expression unreadable. "Is that so?" was all she said.

The pair moved on in silence thereafter.

* * *

As the main team consisting of Souji, Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko ventured further into the product of Orihara Izaya-san's mind, they came across many high-levelled Shadows, often ranging from one to four at one go, as well as the rooms with the ponds and crystals that usually contained Treasure Chests and the occasional Shadows.

At times, they could hear Rise reaching out to them mentally, but all they could pick up were broken words and static. The more they chanced upon unexplored areas, however, the clearer the picture that Rise was trying to plant in their heads became, and the less muffled her words were.

Without stopping for a break, the four of them pressed on, until they reached a gated room that apparently contained an unopened Treasure Chest, according to the now slightly blurred map that Rise tried so hard to provide them.

Like the few cave-like rooms before it, there were wooden crates, potato sacks and crystals scattered randomly around the room. The pond, however, was glaringly absent. In its place was an average-sized boulder, which was stained with patches of dark, rusty copper and freckles of glossy, venomous black. But under the dim lighting in the room, where the crystals' shine contributed nothing but a wide and confusing array of colours, it was impossible to tell exactly.

As Souji approached the suspicious-looking boulder, while his friends followed behind him carefully, he felt the tip of his foot knock against a load on the ground, causing a clattering sound that echoed in this secluded, almost completely enclosed area. Curiously but warily, the silver-haired teen knelt down, keeping a firm grip on his katana in one hand while holding up the object his foot had bumped into.

It was freezing. Numbingly so. But Souji refused to let go of it, and instead ran his fingers across the cold, heavy material, along its rough curves. A powdery substance cracked from the touch and fell into his palm as Souji attempted to identify the load. His fingers soon chanced upon a sharp bend, and then he understood. It didn't take much longer for the others to draw the same conclusion.

In his fervency to confirm that conclusion, Yosuke sprinted over to the opposite side of the boulder, and then inched forward until he stepped on what felt like a hump and heard something chime. He knelt down on one knee, taking up a position that was similar to Souji's, and felt his way around for the same load that Souji was holding in his hand.

"...the hell...?" the brunet muttered.

At that, Chie rushed out of the room and into the corridor, plucking a lit torch out from its stand along the wall. She hurried her way back, and lowered the flame towards Souji's hand, making sure not to bring it too close. The light provided by the fire brightened that one spot, revealing rounds of blood-coated metal connected to one another like a reddish brown braid resting on Souji's palm.

"Chains..." Yukiko murmured. "And with so much blood, too..."

"Just what on earth is going on in that guy's mind?" Yosuke wondered aloud, stepping away from the metallic mess.

"Only one way to find out," Chie replied. "And that's to keep going."

"Satonaka's right." As he stood, Souji brushed off the hardened blood that had tainted his hands. "We can discuss this later. Right now, we have to find the stairs and make it to the top as soon as possible."

Yosuke grimaced. "But we've been running all over the place, and still no sign of the stairs. Besides, isn't there supposed to be a Chest around here? I don't see any-"

_"-pai?! Sen...! Senpai, can you hear me?!"_

At the exact same time, music suddenly filled the room, charging the air with the melodious song of bells and strings. It was as if someone had forcibly pulled away the invisible ear plugs that had somehow been inserted into their ears.

Souji was the first to whip his head towards the ceiling. "Rise!"

_"Oh, thank goodness! I finally got to you!" _The idol's voice rang so clearly Souji and the others had to resist wincing as Rise continued yelling, completely unaware of the volume of her own voice, _"You wouldn't believe- I was so scared! I kept calling and calling, but nobody answered! I-I thought you and everyone else..." _She trailed off, breaking into a quiet sob which quickly escalated into a wail.

"It's okay, Rise. We're perfectly fine," the leader of the Investigation Team replied soothingly. He couldn't help but allow himself a faint smile, knowing that Rise was safe. "How is Teddie doing? And how about Naoto and Kanji? Have you managed to contact them?"

The brunette, having calmed down at the sound of her beloved senpai's voice, gave an audible sniff. _"Teddie's fine… A little hurt, but it doesn't look too bad. A-and yeah, Kanji and Naoto-kun are talking to me now... They said they want to know what happened to me."_

"We've been wondering about that, too. Was it this place? Was it blocking you out?"

_"That's what I thought at first when I tried to link up with your mind, Senpai. But when Teddie and I went in and tried again...it still didn't work."_

"It...didn't? So, it wasn't the wall's fault after all?" Yosuke asked, gently prompting the hesitant and still shaken up Rise to continue.

_"Yeah, that's what Teddie said. If it had been the wall, then going in would have cancelled the whole blocking thing, because no matter how shielded someone's innermost thoughts are, there's just no way they can avoid Kanzeon's radar like that. And even prevent me from reaching out to any of you, at that."_

Chie folded her arms with one brow raised. "Unless that someone isn't human, I guess...?"

Souji, Yosuke and Yukiko turned to look at the cadet with slightly widened eyes, not knowing how else to respond to a bold comment like that.

Upon realising that all eyes were on her, Chie gave a nervous, half-hearted laugh. "Wh...what? I-I just said the first thing that came to my mind, that's all. It's not like- I-I mean, it just makes the most sense to me, somehow! ...Doesn't it?"

_"Chie-senpai does have a point,"_ Rise was quick to agree. _"But not in the way you guys think it may be."_

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yukiko asked.

There was a slight delay in Rise's response, which was full of uncertainty and weariness. _"Actually...there's another reason why I think that it wasn't the wall that was blocking me out."_ Once more, she paused, and an awkward silence - save for the now faint ensemble of humming glassware - enveloped the room. In his head, Souji could imagine his kouhai lowering her head to look at the ground and shuffle her feet - gestures that were a sure tell-tale sign of Rise's reluctance to share whatever bad news she might have_. "When I first tried to make the connection with Senpai...I heard a voice."_

"A...voice?"

On her end, Rise nodded, despite knowing that it couldn't be transmitted. _"It totally cut me off somehow. I...I tried to overpower it, but it was too strong... It was only when I found an opening that I could finally reach you guys."_

Souji's features pulled into a pensive frown. "And this voice... Did it belong to Orihara-san?"

_"It sounded like the man who appeared on the Midnight Channel last night, so…"_

"I see..." Souji's frown deepened.

_"Now it all makes sense..."_ Naoto added, her voice being transmitted to her senpais via Kanzeon. It was an ability Rise rarely found the need to employ, but under current circumstances, Souji-senpai and the others definitely needed Naoto's input on the matter. _"Earlier, Tatsumi-kun and I were discussing about how we haven't been making any progress beyond the first floor, but we have yet to arrive at any reasonable conclusions. However, if what Kujikawa-san says is true, then the two incidents must be connected."_

"Why? What does that mean?" Yosuke spoke, slightly confused at Souji and Naoto's reaction.

The silver-haired adolescent turned to face his partner. "It's like what Rise mentioned," he began to explain; Chie and Yukiko, too, paid close attention. "While Satonaka wasn't entirely wrong in guessing that Orihara-san might not be human, it's probably more accurate to say that he's not like ordinary people.

"If he is able to stop Rise from contacting us...if he is able to stop us from advancing further, then it must mean that he has control over this place, whether he realises it or not. Just like…Adachi-san," Souji continued to elaborate, his frown replaced by a very grave expression which his teammates now shared. "Orihara-san...may be in a lot more danger than we thought."

Nobody challenged that assumption.

* * *

"Well, well...it seems that you have some interesting guests over today."

The man sitting cross-legged on the icy floor noted monotonously, twirling his finger around the dark hair of the fallen figure next to him.

"But it looks like the people you wish to see the most aren't among them. You're such a pitiful existence. My heart is crying for you."

The man spoke with a wide smirk plastered on his face.

Then he shifted his position, now leaning over the other man, casting a shadow on him as he continued playing with his hair, resting his chin on his free hand.

"Shall I bring them here?"

The figure did not stir at the man's suggestion; did not even stir as the man stroked his cheek tenderly.

"After all, it is what you desire."

The man whispered in the figure's ear gently; softly.

"And your desires are mine as well."

And then the man faded away, leaving no trace of his presence behind.

Throughout it all, the figure slept peacefully.


	17. Crystal Fortress II

A/N: Dialogue... So much dialogue...

As always, thank you for supporting Gameplay! :)

* * *

**April 19, 2013**

**Crystal Fortress, 1F**

Fully understanding the implications of the theory he suggested, Souji wasted no time in bringing his team out of the thick silence they had fallen into. "...Rise, there's a Chest around here, right?"

The brunette hesitated for just a split second. _"E-eh? Well, yes, but... Ah, that's right. I just remembered. Senpai, do you see a boulder somewhere near you?"_

"We've been standing around one since, like, ages ago," Yosuke responded while trying to avoid looking at the bloodied chains. The colour in his face was still considerably absent.

Rise was not amused at his answer. _"Well, you have to get that boulder out of the way. The Treasure Chest is right underneath it."_

"That's...unusual," Yukiko commented, stepping aside for Souji to summon one of his physically stronger Personas to move the boulder away.

The teen idol seemed to agree, though it wasn't voiced aloud. _"I think Orihara-san, subconsciously or not, was trying to stop me from telling you guys about the location of this particular Treasure Chest. It probably contains something really important, so he did all he could to keep it hidden."_

"...That guy... I don't even know him, but I already find him annoying, somehow..." While holding his forehead in his hand, Yosuke shook his head.

Before anyone could respond to that, Souji's cry of "Persona!" rang through the entire room.

Then, hovering above him, manifested a long-haired blond man donned in a red metallic helmet and armour. His build was impressive and outstanding - his arms and legs were swelled up with trained muscles and sheer _power_ - and yet his face carried no traces of senescence, neither were there any visible scars on the rest of his body. In his right hand was the hilt of a longsword, and over his shoulder was a simple metallic shield. Bangles of silver encircled the young man's wrists and the area directly below his kneecaps.

With one mighty swing of his sword, Siegfried unleashed a Vorpal Blade attack on the boulder, smashing it into tiny pieces of rock that scattered onto the ground. The swift destruction of the boulder revealed a hole that it had been concealing; a hole which had already been filled with a shimmering, golden Treasure Chest.

Under such circumstances, it was a good thing Souji always thought ahead. If they had been under somebody else's leadership, the team would probably not have thought of bringing Keys in advance. Stepping closer to the uncovered hole, they watched their leader take out a golden Key and slot it into the keyhole on the Treasure Chest. He quickly unlocked it and lifted the lid.

"Hm? What's this?" Souji mumbled, mostly to himself, as he reached into the depths of the Chest and picked up the item lying inside it. Gazing at it with mild curiosity, the silver-haired teen played around with it carefully. "It looks like a USB dr-oh."

"Whoa, careful there, partner." Yosuke instinctively jerked back when a sharp blade leapt upright from the capsule-shaped object in Souji's hand. "Huh... Is that a switchblade? What's that doing here?"

"Maybe it belongs to Orihara-san," Chie suggested. "I mean, none of us uses that in here, so it's not something for us to use, I guess?"

_"...No, actually, it is!" _Rise tried to bring everyone's attention to the full map of the current floor they were on. _"Look, the stairs appeared right after Senpai picked the knife up."_

The four of them scanned through the map, eyes travelling everywhere until they could spot a two-tone square in the middle of a room. They traced back their steps as far as they could remember. Yosuke was the first to point out, "Hang on... Isn't that the place where we started from?"

"Really? How can you tell?" Yukiko asked, appearing slightly surprised.

"Well, our starting points are always nearest to the bottom of the map, right?" Yosuke nearly raised his hand to indicate where the stairs were until he remembered that there was nothing tangible to point at. "See? Isn't that where the stairs are?"

"Huh... You're right," Chie noted. Then her eyes widened. "Wait, doesn't that mean we've been led on a wild goose chase all this while?"

"It seems so," Souji replied after a brief moment of silence that filled the room.

"...So lemme get this straight: first, the guy created the floor such that the stairs won't appear until someone finds the switchblade. Then, he threw us off by completely blocking Rise-chan out and making us wander around this place with no way of knowing where we were going. And now that we've found the switchblade, the stairs just _had_ to be in the room we started from? Which is like, _at the opposite end of where we are right now_?"

"Yeah, you got it," Yosuke answered, sounding as if he had just tasted something foul.

"Well that's just great." Chie sighed. "But then again, it's not like we have any other choice than to keep moving..."

"Right," said Yukiko encouragingly. Souji gave a nod to affirm his agreement. Yosuke and Chie, on the other hand, didn't seem so enthusiastic.

Under Rise's guidance, the four of them began making their detour back to the room they had started from. It would have been a relatively short trip there, if not for the Shadows which had reappeared along the corridors and in the rooms they had passed by before. But with Rise's help in identifying the weaknesses of the various Shadows right into battle, the team eliminated the Shadows much swifter than they did without, and eventually reached their starting point without much trouble.

To their amazement, what used to be simply a large, glowing pond in the heart of the cave-like room had turned into a scenic landscape. Little circles of light across a spectrum of colours floated in the air, dancing around a helical rainbow like fireflies. The crystals in the room were shimmering in an almost hypnotic fashion.

"Whoa..." Yosuke breathed, taking in the mesmerising sight.

"It's so beautiful..." Yukiko agreed, looking across the room.

"Yeah, I don't even know what to say except for 'wow'," said Chie, unable to peel her eyes away from the dazzling array of lights.

Souji seemed to share the same sentiment, having made no comments about the room or its sudden makeover and simply stood there with widened eyes. Then realisation dawned upon him. "I don't see any stairs around..."

"Huh?" Chie blinked the brightness away. "Hm...me neither. Unless that spiral thing is the staircase?"

"...But that's just a beam of rainbow light," Yosuke replied with a frown. "We can't walk on _light_, Satonaka."

Chie looked affronted. "I know that! I'm not dumb, you know!" A pause. "Okay, maybe I am, but I'm not _that_ stupid. Unlike _somebody_ I happen to know whose last name starts with a 'Ha'."

"Oh c'mon, why is this about me all of a sudden? It's not like I actually said that out loud," the brunet shot back.

"Ohh, so you admit that you were thinking it, at least!"

"What the- Stop putting words into my mouth! How would _you_ even know what I was thinking?"

"It was written all over your face, that's how!"

"Guys, this isn't-" Souji tried to interject, but his words were gone unheard.

"Oh, so Satonaka's some kind of face reader now? Yeah, you'd make a really good police officer with a skill like that. You'll drive your suspects nuts with your amazing interrogating skills and what not," Yosuke continued to provoke the young cadet. He was doing it so naturally that it was difficult to tell if he was deliberately pushing Chie's buttons just for the fun of it, but Yosuke would know better than to do anything that might earn him a hard kick to the groin. Which could only mean that he hadn't the intention to anger Chie at all since the very beginning, and that made Souji sad, somehow.

"Oh that does it!" The brunette's fingers curled into tight balls of fists. "You know what? I'll just prove it to you!"

For the first time since their heated argument started, Yosuke took a moment before he gave his reply, "...Uhh, about what?"

"The stairs, Hanamura. What else? Sheesh." Chie walked towards the spiral beam of light. "I'm gonna prove that this is the stairs. And when I do, you're gonna buy me steak. Lots of it. Are we clear about that?"

Yosuke grimaced at the mental image of his wallet being emptied to the point of getting ripped to shreds. "How 'bout we just forget about it and move on? In case you haven't noticed, we're still on the first damn floor." Souji and Yukiko visibly relaxed at that comment, relieved that, at the very least, Yosuke hadn't forgotten.

Chie grumbled, "Alright, alright, fine. But you're still buying me steak once we get outta here. Got it?"

The words "For what?" nearly escaped Yosuke's lips, but he held himself back, and sighed instead. "Whatever you say, ma'am," he promised, casually giving Chie a lazy wave of his hand as if he were trying to shoo her away.

With a huff, the brunette lifted her foot. She would've had instantly stepped onto the light if not for the fact that she wasn't certain herself if she would fall through, and so slowly, but surely, Chie lowered her foot towards the starting point of the ray. As the tip of her boot met the light, it immediately responded by forming a solid, glowing platform for the sole of the boot to land on.

Remaining in that position, Chie whipped towards Yosuke, whose jaw had dropped, and flashed him a haughty smile. "Ha! You see, you see? I _told_ you we can walk on light!"

Inwardly, Yosuke wept.

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, 2F**

Climbing up the spiral staircase had led the team into a corridor, which had an identical appearance to the corridors of the first floor. The air in the second floor was slightly colder than it was in the first, so their late spring clothing still did little to keep them warm in the frigid dungeon.

Before Souji took off, he made sure that the mental link he shared with Rise was kept preserved, uninterrupted by any unusual interference, and then he looked over his shoulder to check if his teammates were behind him. Once he was certain that everything was in order, he requested a quick scan through the current floor, as well as the rest of the floors above, from his kouhai.

_"Okay, let's see here..." _The brunette tried to expand her searching radius temporarily, being particularly careful about exerting too much of Kanzeon's presence on the Shadows' territory. _"Hmm... Looks like it's still quite a long way ahead until we get to where Orihara-san is. This floor doesn't seem too bad, though. There aren't many Shadows or Treasure Chests around, but we still gotta be careful. Who knows what's going to happen next in a place like this?"_

"Yeah... We haven't even gone that far, but we've already encountered so many differences. We can't treat this like any of the other places we've been to," said Yukiko, her fan unfolded and ready to engage any Shadow that might appear without a moment's notice.

"After all that stuff we just went through, I'd say we're ready for anything," Chie added while routinely checking her boots.

_"...Still, I can't say I'm not worried,_" Rise admitted.

Souji briefly rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "About what?" he asked.

Rise seemed to be considering her words carefully. _"Well... If Orihara-san is subconsciously trying all he can to keep us out, then why did he - or his Shadow, more like - stop blocking me when you reached that room with the Chest? He could've continued blocking me, but it felt like he just...gave up, for some reason."_

"Maybe he just wanted to mess with us," Yosuke said. "Y'know, make us run around while he sits there and laugh at us like we're free entertainment?"

_"...Maybe, but..._" Rise paused. _"I don't know... I just don't think it's that simple. I kind of have a bad feeling about all this..."_

"We'll keep that in mind," said Souji before he sprinted off, his teammates following him.

And just as Rise had described, the rest of the floor was pretty straightforward and lacking in Shadows - a stark contrast to the hell they had experienced in the form of the fortress' first floor.

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, 3F**

The ascent to the third floor, however, was like entering through the gates of hell once again.

"What the _freakin'_-" Yosuke paused to sneeze and wrap his arms around his upper torso. Teeth chattering, he continued, "I-it's freezing in h-h-here! Th-this is s-s-so much w-w-worse than the second f-floor. I didn't e-even th-think that was p-possible."

"It's even w-worse than Inaba i-in w-w-winter." Chie pulled her sweater closer to her body, letting out a shaky "Brr".

"I... I can..." Exhaling sharply, Yukiko mentally called out to Amaterasu.

Almost immediately, the golden figure of the sun goddess manifested above the young manager of the Amagi Inn, her bare body perpetually bathed in an angelic halo of light that gave the four shivering adolescents the warmth that they were in dire need for.

"Whew," Chie breathed out, visibly relaxing. "Thanks, Yukiko. You're a lifesaver."

Souji, however, couldn't decide on whether to look grateful or concerned at the raven's decision. "Don't overdo it, Amagi," he said, trying to sound thankful at the same time.

Yukiko gave him an assuring smile. "It's fine, Seta-kun. As long as I'm not using any spells, it's actually not that tiring."

"You should still take a break after a while, though," Yosuke advised.

Yukiko nodded. "I'll do that, don't worry."

"And I'll be keeping an eye on her to make sure," Chie offered.

"That's good to hear," Yosuke replied with a wink. After a momentary pause, his face fell into a mildly serious expression. "Man, what's with the drop in temperature all of a sudden? I mean, it's a really ridiculous drop. If not for Amagi, I think we'd literally freeze to death in here."

_"It must be because Orihara-san's Shadow is on this floor... I can sense him."_

The four Persona-users immediately tensed at that. "Is he somewhere nearby?" Souji asked.

A few seconds passed before Rise answered, _"Yeah, he's in a room just up ahead. He's not with anybody else, though..."_

"I see," Souji muttered to himself. Then he spoke, in a louder voice, "Rise, can you guide Naoto and Kanji to this floor? We'll gather first before we continue."

_"Got it. Just hang on for a while, it shouldn't take too long."_ And then the connection weakened.

As they waited, the four adolescents huddled closer together, basking in the warmth of Amaterasu's light. Staying clear from the staircase, they set their weapons down, and remained silent.

Not long after, Rise's voice reverberated in their heads, _"Okay Senpai, they're coming up now."_

The moment she ended, royal blue hair appeared from the rainbow stairs, and not long after, an emotionless Naoto came into view, followed by Kanji, who, unlike the young detective, was frowning. The atmosphere surrounding the pair was incredibly tense and awkward, more so than usual. Souji was tempted to ask if something had happened, but after taking Kanji and Naoto's personalities into consideration, he decided against it.

Unfortunately, Yosuke's curiosity got the better of him. "Huh? What's up with the both of you? You guys look like you've just had a lovers' spat or something."

"...Nothin'," Kanji gave a strained growl, as if he were trying but failing to reign in his anger.

Naoto, on the other hand, said nothing, her only response to Yosuke's innocent question being her expression darkening considerably. And somehow, seeing that was more terrifying than the prospect of Kanji losing his temper.

Yosuke, however, failed to pick up on that. "Oh, what's this? No denial? Ooh, that's a first. Something must've really happened between you two."

Kanji snapped, "Hey, could you shut it already? We ain't got time to be standing around like this!"

Yosuke raised both hands and took a step back in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, what's gotten into you? I was just curious, is all. Take a chill pill, Kanji."

"...Tch." The younger male turned away.

Throughout the entire exchange, Naoto had yet to speak up, and simply stood there while actively avoiding Kanji's line of vision. Kanji himself didn't seem to want to look at Naoto either.

Yosuke inched towards Souji and whispered in his ear, "Seriously, what's gotten into them? They're like, super pissed off for some reason."

_"Naoto-kun tried to take on a bunch of Shadows all by herself again,"_ Rise answered before Souji could reply_. "So of course, Kanji dived in to help her, but...well, you know how Naoto-kun is."_

From the way Kanji and Naoto did not react to that, it seemed that Rise was projecting her voice only for Souji and Yosuke - and presumably Chie and Yukiko as well - to hear.

Chie resisted the urge to sigh. "What? This isn't the first time it's happened and they can still get that pissed with each other now? I mean, what are they, _kids_?" she spoke in a harsh whisper lest the children in question could hear her.

"Well, they _are_ younger than us..." Yosuke jokingly pointed out.

Chie scoffed. "Like you're any better."

"Wha-hey! Why are you always trying to involve me in everything?"

At the sudden outburst, Naoto gave Yosuke a sideway glance, still looking as ill-humoured as before. "What is it, Hanamura-senpai?"

"Oh thanks a lot, Satonaka," the brunet muttered under his breath. "Uh, it's nothing, Naoto. Just complaining about the cold. It's getting to me."

The detective didn't look entirely convinced at that answer, but she accepted it in spite of that. "Yes, it does seem to be much colder in this particular floor," she said without as much as a stutter, buttoning up her trench coat. "Well, in any case, we should move forward. Abnormalities of the surroundings should not be a deterrence to us."

"Right," Souji agreed, which, under such circumstances, meant that the previous topic was closed until the team fulfilled their real purpose in coming to the TV world. "Orihara-san's Shadow is nearby. Be on your guard."

The others nodded, gathering behind their leader. When he saw that his teammates were ready, Souji faced the front and then he ran forward, not stopping until the familiar gates appeared. Just as he placed his hand on the handle of the crystalline knife which acted as the lever controlling the gate's movement, Rise gave the team another warning, _"There's a really strong Shadow in here... We don't know if he's hostile, considering all that has happened so far, so don't do anything reckless, guys."_

"We won't," Souji affirmed.

_"Teddie and I are coming over now. Stay clear, okay?"_

Before anyone could respond, a burst of light suddenly appeared behind the group. It quickly died away, revealing the young teen idol and former Shadow standing in front of the angelic figure of Kanzeon, who faded away at Rise's dismissal.

"Sorry for the wait," Rise said.

"We're bear-ry sorry for the wait," Teddie echoed, his tiny feet squeaking as he waddled over to the rest of the team.

Yosuke stared at the pair blankly before he turned to Souji with an unenthused expression. "Remind me again why we can't just use the Rise Express Train to zip past everything and save us the time and trouble?"

"I'm right here, you know," Rise replied, not at all pleased that she had been reduced to the level of a vehicle even though she knew it wasn't intentional. "As for your question, I can't go to a place I've never seen before, remember? Even if that's possible, I'm only able to when somebody else I'm linked with is there. Besides, I can't teleport all of you at the same time. It's difficult enough on my own."

"...Ahh, right. Now that you mention it, I do kinda remember you saying something like that... My bad, I shouldn't have asked that at a time like this. Let's move on."

"Alright," Souji replied, and then he gave the handle a gentle push.

The moment the gates gave way completely, the Investigation Team rushed in. They were greeted by the back of a familiar hooded figure standing atop a platform of ice in the middle of an enormous pond, the largest they had seen since the start of their hike. The room was vaster than any other room they had been through thus far, with crystals lining every edge of the walls. The potato sacks and crates, however, were absent; in their place, supposedly, were massive blocks of ice that gave off a shine not distinct from the crystals surrounding them.

The thick mist in the area snaked around the figure as he spun to meet his guests.

"Ohh?" the hooded man cooed into the cordless microphone in his hand, his voice horribly dissonant and distorted. White puffs of air escaped his lips whenever he breathed or spoke. "Oh my, oh my, to think that someone actually came after me. And not just one or two, but _eight_ of you, at that. What a big group we have here today! How absolutely delightful!"

He twirled and twirled about on his feet, causing the platform beneath him to shake and spill water onto the nearby dry land. With his hood covering the upper half of his face, seeing the Shadow's glowing, golden eyes gleam and shine through the darkness, coupled with a wide smile against deathly pale skin and a thin body emitting tendrils of violet smoke, was exceptionally disturbing.

"I must say, I am so very curious as to why so many of you decided to come," the Shadow continued to say as he came to a stop. "But unfortunately, I have a programme to run and it's not very nice to interrupt it when I have so many viewers tuning in right now. I'm on a tight schedule and my audience doesn't have all day. Ne?"

As if on cue, the low, displeased murmurs of the Shadows gathered in the fortress spilled over into the room. Instinctively, the eight Persona-users fell into their fighting stances while keeping a close eye on their surroundings.

"Th-the Shadows are getting really agitated," said Teddie. "It's sending chills down my fur."

"I nearly forgot how creepy this was..." Chie mumbled to herself.

"At least nobody's laughing like last time," Yosuke, having heard that, replied just as quietly.

With a giggle, the Shadow borrowing Izaya's form and voice carried on, almost as though he were ignoring any comments the adolescents had made, "Well then, without further ado, let's venture further and see if we can find any hidden treasures stowed away in this beautiful place! What do you say to that, my dear viewers?"

Simultaneously, high-pitched squeals and thundering cheers roared through the entire area, nearly causing Yosuke, Chie, Rise and Teddie to jump back. The others resisted flinching.

"...You just _had_ to say it, Hanamura," Chie groaned. "Like this isn't a thousand times worse than the laughing, really."

Before Yosuke had time to react to that, the hooded Shadow brought his free hand to his chest in an exaggerated fashion. "Wow! What a _heated_ response for humble, little me! It's making my heart throb like crazy~!" He chuckled suggestively. "In that case, maybe I ought to speed things up a bit. After all, our special guest for the night is simply _dying_ to meet all of you, too."

The Shadow spun till his back faced the Investigation Team. "Well then, off we go~!" he exclaimed, doing a strange sort of skip off the platform and into the thick cloud of mist, disappearing into the distance.

"...Well, that was strange, to say the least," Yosuke said, some time after the hooded figure had left.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. As melodramatic as that Shadow is, he didn't exactly reveal anything about what Orihara-san has been trying to hide about himself. It's like...he's inviting us in yet still closing himself off at the same time," Rise replied, sounding rather unsettled.

Yukiko had an equally uneasy look on her face. "And what do you think the Shadow meant by 'speeding things up' or 'our special guest for the night'? Doesn't it seem a little strange that he hasn't mentioned anything about a guest until just now?"

Naoto folded her arms, resting her chin on her finger. "Unless..." she murmured, trailing off into a sudden pause as her eyes widened.

"Wh-what is it, Nao-chan?" Teddie asked in a squeak.

Without any further explanation, Naoto took off, wasting no time in leaping across the large body of water using the slippery platform and chasing after the now unseen Shadow.

"O-oi! Naoto! What the hell're you doin'?!" Kanji yelled after her, before breaking into a run to catch up to the detective despite his friends' attempts to stop him. As he went further and further in, his call of "Wait up! Naoto!" faded as quickly as his body did into the dense, icy fog.

"Crap, Souji, we have to go after them!" Yosuke shouted, almost ready to chase after his Yasogami juniors in blind panic.

"Yosuke, calm down. We don't know what's up ahead."

"But isn't that _exactly _why we have to go stop them?!"

Souji shook his head. "If we end up getting lost ourselves, then we won't be able to help them, right?"

The brunet opened his mouth to reply, but found himself at a loss for what to say, and promptly closed his mouth shut.

Souji's expression flickered to that of a concerned look before it was gone as swiftly as it came. He turned to face his remaining kouhai. "Rise, can you tell what's up ahead?"

The idol frowned slightly. "Hmm... Not really... But with Naoto-kun and Kanji in there now, it kinda feels like the floor's expanding a little. And the Shadows seem to be a lot tougher from here on out."

"As expected..." the leader of the Investigation Team said. "Thanks, Rise. We'll continue as planned."

"Got it, Senpai. Just…be careful, okay?" As Rise summoned her Persona, she waved for Teddie to come to her side. "C'mon Teddie, we're going back."

"Right-o!" Teddie responded quickly. "I'll do my bear-y best to keep my nose out for Kanji and Nao-chan, so go forth without any worry, Sensei!"

Souji smiled. "Thank you, Teddie," he replied. "We'll see you soon."


	18. Crystal Fortress III

**Disclaimer: Shinra's lines in this chapter are from anni-fiesta's translations of Volume 5 of the novels.**

A/N: I had a major writer's block while writing this chapter. It was so bad that even after taking countless breaks to look for inspiration, the block didn't go away. And it's still there. Dx

As always, thank you for supporting this story! :)

* * *

**April 19, 2013**

**Crystal Fortress, 3F**

"You're an _idiot_, ya know that? Runnin' off on your own like that... Just what the hell were you thinking?!"

Naoto's brows furrowed, her lips pulled into a half-pout, half-frown which looked like a serious attempt at restraining herself from doing something she considered childish. But with the way Tatsumi was, it proved to be quite the challenge.

"...I beg your pardon?" she asked, trying hard not to sound almost out of breath. Even as trails of perspiration trickled down her temples, the detective made no move and simply remained as still as she could, giving Kanji the strictest glower she could muster.

Kanji, in turn, snapped back, "Hey, you're the one who thought rammin' straight into a Shadow was a great idea. If I hadn't been there you'd be-" He stopped himself, now glaring at Naoto in sudden silence. Then, with a "Tch", he shook his head and turned away, allowing his back to glare at the detective in place of him.

The displeased expression painted on Naoto's face threatened to darken even further, but eventually, she didn't allow herself to in spite of the fact that her companion's back clearly lacked the visual organs necessary to observe her every move. Still, Naoto couldn't stop herself from clenching her fists slightly, her eyes narrowing and burning holes through Kanji's back.

Just as her lips parted ways for more words to spill over, Naoto immediately took a sharp breath instead. _'Breathe,' _she told herself, forcing a sigh that was as quiet as possible as her mouth closed shut. _'No more tantrums, Shirogane. This is not the time to lose your temper. You can't afford to.'_

After all, wasn't that why they were here in the first place? Why they were fighting so hard to reach the final floor?

It was partly why she had done what she did, anyway. But Naoto would not deny that it was overly rash of her to do so, and neither would she turn blind to the fact that she had not taken into account the possibility of running into hostile Shadows in her seemingly irrational haste. That did not, however, mean that she was incapable of eliminating the Shadows on her own.

Naoto closed her eyes, and inhaled. Exhaled. Breathed. It wasn't the time.

"...We shouldn't remain here for too long," the detective spoke, breaking the silence. "We must be-"

"No," Kanji said firmly, turning back and giving Naoto an unusually stern look.

This time, Naoto did not hide her incredulousness. "What... What are you saying, Tatsumi-kun? If we don't hurry-"

Kanji himself seemed surprised at his own words, but he didn't let it stop him. "No," he repeated. "You've been acting weird all day, Naoto, and none of us knows why. I've been wanting to ask you about it, but I figured the case takes priority so I thought I'd leave it till later. But the longer we're here, the weirder you get, and it's...it's driving me crazy, alright?" Red tinted Kanji's cheeks. "S-so I decided: heck it, man. I need to know _now_, 'cuz I ain't about to let you run off and bump into Shadows on your own till I know the damn reason why. Or at least hear you promise - and _mean it_ - to explain once all this is over."

Naoto stared at Kanji wide-eyed, rendered speechless by his words.

While it was certainly not the first time the taller male had taken her completely by surprise, it was, undoubtedly, the first time he had actually spoken his mind and argued with her in that manner. Not that it was an unwelcome change - in fact, Naoto was glad that Tatsumi was willing to be more honest and direct with her now - but it had happened so suddenly Naoto hadn't the faintest clue as to how she should react.

So instead, the detective decided to redirect her attention to what exactly Tatsumi-kun had said, and then she found herself at an even greater loss. _'..."Acting weird", I see.'_ Naoto lowered her head, unable to look at Kanji in the eye any longer.

He had seen through her. Despite all her efforts to keep her emotions hidden, Tatsumi had still managed to see through her. It made Naoto ashamed and angry, but she had become so accustomed to suppressing her feelings in front of other people that even in front of her male companion who could read her like a book, Naoto still tried to forcefully exercise control over those emotions.

She knew it was naive to think that nobody would have realised it - after all, there was no escaping Seta-senpai's notice - but for someone like Tatsumi, a member of the team Naoto felt most distant from, to have seen through her... It was, simply put, beyond her expectations of him.

Perhaps, then, that was the reason why Seta-senpai had decided to assign her to Tatsumi-kun on the backup team. Senpai had, most probably, predicted that Tatsumi-kun would eventually call Naoto out on her strange behaviour over the course of their exploration through the fortress; something that Senpai felt Tatsumi-kun was most suitable for.

_'I certainly see why now,' _Naoto mused, carrying a faint smile on her face.

"I understand, Tatsumi-kun," she finally replied, raising her head to meet Kanji's questioning gaze. "I will tell you what you wish to know."

Kanji blinked, his cheeks growing rosier by the second. "H-huh? W-wait, i-if...if you're uncomfortable with it, th-then you don't..."

Naoto cut him off by shaking her head. "No, there is no point in continuing on if one is doubtful of the other, especially if such doubts are in any way related to the case at hand." It was rather amusing, she had to admit, and ironic that she was now the one trying to convince Kanji that an explanation from her was necessary, when Kanji had been so firm and rooted in that just not too long ago. "I have been...distracted, and in my distraction, I put you in danger. I-I'm sorry, and also...thank you. You, of all people, deserve to know the reason behind my...unbecoming behaviour."

It was a struggle to make that confession, but Naoto was grateful for the opportunity to see it through. Admitting mistakes had never been easy for her, and thanking someone for making her realise her own faults was even less so, but if it meant mending her ties with Tatsumi-kun, then Naoto would boldly take that step.

Unaware of all the thoughts flashing through Naoto's mind, Kanji gave a stiff and hesitant nod. "If...if you say so," he said, sounding pleased and uncertain at the same time. "So...what happened? Why did you just run off like that?"

Naoto's eyes softened as she raised her hand, making a motion to lower her cap which used to rest comfortably on top of her head until she realised her error and let her arm fall to her side. "Before I go into that, I would like to take this opportunity to...amend something I have said to you and Amagi-senpai. Concerning the nature of my relationship with Orihara Izaya-san."

Kanji fought the urge to probe her, and instead gave Rise a mental note to cut off the connection. "Go on," he said once he felt the brunette comply.

_'Thank you,'_ Naoto wanted to say, but couldn't for some reason, and she hoped her eyes could convey her gratitude to Kanji. "The truth is..." she started. "Two years ago, when I was still investigating the case about 'Nakura' and the suicide groups, after the police declared it closed...I had signed up as a member of one the groups in order to get close to 'Nakura'-san. And after weeks of online communication with him, he initiated the suggestion for us to meet and "carry out the deed". I knew, then, that it was my chance.

"That was when I met the man who posed as the kind and understanding gentleman Nakura-san...who also happened to be the very same man my grandfather has always been in contact with the past few years." Naoto closed her eyes. "That man...is Orihara Izaya-san."

* * *

_"Hello there. You seem lonely, being all by yourself in a place like this. Why don't we chat for a while?"_

_"What a treat it is to see you here. Does that mean you want to disappear from this world, too?"_

_"...Well, what a coincidence. So do I. It's nice to meet you."_

_"My name is..."_

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, 4F**

"Kanji-kun... Naoto-kun... I hope they're alright."

Tilting his head back briefly, Yosuke's frown deepened. "Same here, Amagi," he told the raven-haired girl, unable to concentrate on the faint tune of the song playing in his headphones.

After Rise and Teddie had returned to the entrance of the fortress, Souji and his remaining teammates charged on forward in search of their friends who had gone before them. Eventually they managed to find the stairs instead, but nobody felt right about leaving Kanji and Naoto behind like that without spending more time looking, so they turned back and continued searching. However, making that decision meant encountering more Shadows, and encountering more Shadows meant a higher chance of expending their energy or getting injured, and unfortunately, they happened to cross paths with a crimson Shadow in the midst of their search.

It had caught them unawares, and the moment it divided into four massive, wingless six-legged creatures with tube-like mouth parts that were capable of sucking them dry Souji knew that it wasn't possible to stay there any longer. By the time Rise found an opening to transport them straight to the stairs, the four Persona-users were already barely able to move on their own. If it wasn't for the readily available supply of energy-replenishing items at their disposal, Souji might've had been forced to call the entire mission off.

Yosuke didn't know what was more terrifying: the fact that such Shadows existed, or the possibility that his juniors had yet to leave the third floor where those Shadows were still roaming about, itching for blood.

_"Don't worry, Senpais," _Rise said reassuringly, as if she had read Yosuke's mind._ "They're currently in a room far away from those creepy crawlies and recovering their strength. It doesn't look like they'll be moving anytime soon, and the red Shadow isn't going anywhere near them, too, so there isn't much to worry about for now. When they're ready to go, I'll make sure to inform you."_

Souji nodded. "I'm counting on you, Rise."

Seemingly distracted, Chie rubbed the torn part of her right sleeve that was revealing skin where a red patch was growing. "Still, what the heck was up with those Shadows? They totally freaked me out! Wh-what with their long, hairy legs a-and..." Unable to complete that sentence, the brunette shuddered.

"Really? I thought they looked pretty adorable," Yukiko replied with a smile.

Chie blanched at that. "Seriously, Yukiko? They practically latched onto us, stuck their mouth parts into our skin and drained almost everything, and you still find them _cute_?"

"Well, yes. Why? Is that strange?"

"...When you say 'Yes' so readily to a question like that, I really have to wonder..."

Fiddling with the cord of his headphones innocently while the girls were talking amongst themselves, Yosuke inched closer towards Souji and said to him in a quiet voice, "I gotta admit, Amagi really never fails to surprise me. In a good way, I mean."

Souji couldn't help but chuckle at that.

* * *

"_I'll tell you what you are."_

_"You're kind of on the bad side, but you are not completely evil. Yet there's not a single ounce of goodness in you, either."_

_"Hmm, how should I put it… If I were to try to sum you up in one sentence - it would be something like 'You make me want to throw up.'"_

_"And that was a compliment, you know."_

_Laughter echoed through the floor. Laughter that didn't belong to the man who had just given his compliment, but another man who accepted said compliment chirpily and amusedly._

_"I wouldn't have it any other way, Shinra."_

_"To see my lovely humans throw up their true nature in front of me..."_

_"Why, there's nothing more satisfying to me than that."_

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, 6F**

Like the floor directly before it, the surroundings of the sixth seemed to have grown colder than the fifth. Nothing as biting as the unbelievably frigid temperature on the third floor, but enough to cause the four teenagers to shiver the moment they completed their ascent of the stairs.

After being accustomed to the supposedly negative degrees that the third floor had to offer, however, there was no real way of knowing if the change was simply a trick their minds were playing on themselves.

And hearing the voice, or voices, that accompanied the fourth and fifth floors would have been the last thing they needed in this situation if it wasn't for the exceptionally hardy Shadows that gathered in the fortress.

_"...Y'know, maybe you guys should take a break,"_ Rise suggested - for possibly the third time since their narrow escape - as she watched her high school seniors struggle to keep themselves on their feet after finishing off a group of Raven and Magus Shadows.

"A break?" Yosuke chuckled dryly as he bent over and panted. "What does that word mean again?"

Rise sighed in exasperation. _"Senpais, I know we can't afford to mess around, but pushing yourselves like this isn't helping anyone. At this rate you're going to collapse for real, and if that happens, who's going to save Orihara-san? Naoto-kun and Kanji are just as worn out as you are."_

"...Alright," Souji replied, lowering his katana. "We'll take a short break."

"Oh, finally," Yosuke breathed. He tried to convey the euphoria he felt the moment Souji agreed to give everyone time to rest, but his body fell to the cold yet comfortable ground so swiftly that his reply sounded airy.

Giving out sighs of relief, Chie and Yukiko joined him on the ground. Despite the low temperature, the two of them fanned themselves and wiped their sleeves across their foreheads as they sat on the ground of the rock-tiled corridor.

When the four of them had fully enjoyed their hard-earned break and were ready to move on, Souji mentally nudged the connection he had with Rise, and asked, "Rise. Rise, are you there?"

His question was met with silence.

It sent the alarm bells in Souji's mind ringing. At the first chime, he immediately made another attempt to communicate with the idol, only to have no response whatsoever. All he could hear was the melody of the strings and the hum of the crystals; the song that conveyed the dangerous yet comforting nature of the fortress, a sense of urgency yet serenity. But even that had become a strain to hear.

Was Orihara-san shutting his heart off again, now that they had come this far? What could this gesture mean - stopping and then letting them advance further, and then stopping them again? Was it just Orihara-san's way of entertaining himself like what Yosuke said, or...?

"...Something isn't right," Souji said. "I think we should return to the entrance. There may be something lying ahead and I don't want us to face it ill-prepared."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Yosuke replied. "Besides, we should check up on Teds and Rise, too. I don't want them getting worried over nothing."

Chie and Yukiko recalled what had happened back on the first floor and quickly agreed with him.

When he saw that they had arrived at a consensus, Souji unzipped his waist pouch and picked up the first Goho-M he saw. As he tossed it into the air and waited for the teleporting device to take effect, however, the usual halo of light did not appear. On the contrary, the item simply made a few spins in the air, and then it fell to the ground, intact.

Confounded by this, Souji knelt down and picked the Goho-M back up before throwing it into the air once more, only to be met by the same disappointing and unprecedented result.

"...Hang on, I'll see if the alternative works," Souji told his friends, who were just as confused as he at the sight, and then closed his eyes to visualise the Personas that he had summoned prior to this rescue effort.

He didn't recall summoning many Personas, though, and so as he mentally flipped through the cards in his possession, the likelihood of finding one with Traesto fell drastically. When it was confirmed that none of the Personas he had at hand could perform the spell, Souji gave a reluctant sigh. He opened his eyes and shook his head apologetically, keeping his head slightly low.

"It's okay, partner. We can keep going. We're ready for anything, remember?" Yosuke said reassuringly. Chie and Yukiko nodded.

Souji said nothing, and instead flashed his teammates a grateful smile. With no other option but to move forward, he led the team down the corridor. It was void of any Shadows and stretched outwards in a straight fashion, and in spite of the lit torches lining the walls, the path that lied beyond him and his teammates was clothed in a blanket of darkness that gradually lifted as they progressed. The sound of their hurried footsteps bounced off the walls, dissolving into echoes that scattered in the surrounding air.

They came to a stop once they caught sight of a peculiar gate. It was not coated with gold like the others they had come across, and was instead kept bare and raw with a thick layer of rust - though the possibility of it being blood as well was not ignored, considering the chains they had seen on the first floor - clinging onto the metal. There were no knives with crystalline blades pinned to the wall surrounding the old gate, leaving the gate unframed. In the place of the knife that usually acted as the lever controlling the gate's movement was a keyhole shaped like a sharply slim oval, reminiscent of a cat's pupil under bright light.

"Hey, this keyhole..." Yosuke said. "Doesn't it look like...?"

Souji didn't reply. Without a moment to waste, he reached into his pocket and dug out the switchblade buried in the sea of coins. He released the switch and waited for the blade to extend out fully before he carefully inserted it into the keyhole with a click.

"Whoa, it's a perfect fit," Chie remarked. "Whaddya know, it _did_ have a use after all."

"But doesn't this seem a little...suspicious? It's too much of a coincidence to be just that..." Yukiko pointed out.

Chie took a brief moment to consider this. "We don't exactly have much of a choice, though. I mean, there's no real way of knowing other than going in, right?"

Yukiko sighed. "Well, that's true... And we can't exactly turn back, either."

"Right." Yosuke turned to face Souji. "You have the honours, partner."

The others gave Souji a firm nod, indicative of their determination, and he nodded back. He then gave the small pocket knife a hard twist to the right, hearing it unlock the gate. As predicted, the gate rose in response, allowing the four Persona-users to enter.

To their mild surprise, the room didn't look any much different from the others they had passed through. The black pond was still in the centre of the room; small fields of crystals were still scattered around the area, and the crates and potato sacks were still present, lined along the walls of the room neatly.

"...No Shadows around either." Yukiko looked around before she casted her eyes downward. "Was I reading too much into it?"

"Don't look so down, Yukiko. There's nothing wrong with thinking ahead," Chie replied, grinning. "C'mon, let's keep-"

The gate suddenly fell back to the ground with a deafening boom.

The four of them instantly covered their ears, Yosuke accidentally dropping his kunai in the process when they knocked into his headphones. As soon as the last of the sound's echoes died away, the brunet bent down to pick up his kunai, muttering shakily, "What... What the hell was that?"

"I-it just closed...just like that." Yukiko stared after the gate in an almost dazed manner.

"B-but why?" Chie asked. "The other gates didn't do that, so why did this...?"

"Let's... Let's just open the other one and keep going," Yosuke suggested, hurriedly making his way to the golden gate. He tried to turn the handle, but it did not budge. "Eh? It doesn't open…? Why-"

His question was answered by a low, familiar chuckle.

_"When I look at it like this..."_

Eyes widening, the four Persona-users raised their heads to the ceiling.

_"...I succumb to the illusion that I'm a god, and that feels pretty good, you know?"_

"A...'god'?" Yukiko echoed. "Like…Izanami and the other fog monsters we saw?"

"So he really _does_ have control over this place. And we've been treated like his pawns right from the start," Yosuke said, his face wearing a borderline scowl. "I get it now. He deliberately let us find the key to this room, didn't do anything to stop us after that, and then gave us the chance to open the gate - all for leading us here so that he could lock us up."

Chie gasped. "That's gotta be why we can't use our Goho-Ms on this floor. He meant to trap us in here all along!"

Yukiko lowered her gaze. "And if it really is like what Seta-kun said, then…Orihara-san is…"

Yosuke clicked his tongue. "Dammit... If this keeps up, we won't be able to make it...!"

"Guys, we have to stay calm," Souji said. "Panicking won't help."

Yosuke groaned. "I know, partner, I _know_, but we've already wasted so much time and-"

"Yosuke, listen to me. I understand how you feel, but being too caught up with our own emotions will only impede our progress." He paused, as if anticipating a verbal response from Yosuke, or any of his teammates for that matter. When nobody replied, Souji continued, "Let's all try to remain calm. Then we'll work on finding a way to get out of this room. Alright?"

At his words, the others took deep breaths. When it looked like they had regained their composure, they raised their heads and made eye contact with their leader, giving their agreements.

But just as the words left their lips-

_"Kami-sama Attack!"_

-the crates and sacks around the four of them burst into flames, engulfing them in a world of red, orange, and pain before everything faded to black.

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, Entrance**

"Senpai... Senpai...! Senpai, please, answer me! Senpai!"

Standing in the middle of a brewing blizzard with her hands cupped around her mouth was a young brown-haired girl, frantically calling out over the harsh winds for her seniors to respond. Her desperate cries, however, were only met with the ominous whistling of the wind that enveloped her body, seeping through her skin and creeping into her bones.

Rise wrapped around herself, gripping each side of her arms tightly. But she felt nothing. Even as she panted, with every breath delivering a slither of the cold wind into her lungs, the brunette felt nothing. The only signs of life that she had were her heart beating like a sledgehammer as panic raged through her entire body, and the yells that erupted from her vocal chords endlessly.

When her knees buckled and slammed into the snow, Rise took no notice of it. Her body no longer felt like her own, neither could she tell if the voice that sounded like hers calling out the names of her friends was coming from her lips or the echoes of her mind.

She couldn't even hear Kanzeon anymore.

"Sen...pai..."

The brunette gasped, clutching her chest.

"Every...one..."

Her vision began to spin.

"Don't..."

_'Don't leave me...'_

The last thing she heard before being pulled to a world of darkness was somebody calling her name.

Then she fell to the ground, unmoving.


	19. Crystal Fortress IV

A/N: Updates will become less frequent now as RL starts taking over. Sighs. I am really sorry about the longer-than-usual wait for this chapter, and the long wait for the subsequent chapters from now on. I'll definitely try my best to update quickly, but I can't make promises.

Thank you all so much for supporting this story! :)

* * *

**April 19, 2013**

**Crystal Fortress, 6F**

When Souji opened his eyes which he hadn't realised he had closed, he found himself awakening to a body that was unusually lethargic and aching all over. Trying to lift even a finger sent jolts of pain to the rest of his damaged body, forcing the grey-haired adolescent to remain on the simmering soil, almost completely immobile.

His vision was tainted red and orange, with bright sparks dancing before him mesmerisingly. Everywhere his eyes turned to look, all Souji could see was the same scenery - the slithering flames; the walls painted red; the crystals' vibrancy drowned by the fire. Toxic fumes filled his nostrils with every breath he took as the crackling of fire whispered sweet nothings into his ears and the heat of the fire swept over his skin.

"Yo-" Souji tried to speak, but ended up breaking into a coughing fit when the soot-filled air clogged his throat. His body protested violently against the strain on his lungs, but Souji could do nothing but wait. The pain only kept escalating.

Various thoughts raced through Souji's mind despite the pain clouding his senses. He thought about why he woke up only to find his clothes tattered and his body littered with bruises; about why the flames surrounded and never touched him. He thought about the fire burning around and from within him; about the heat, the smoke, the taste of metal and soot at the back of his mouth.

But above all Souji thought about his friends. Where they might be, how they were faring.

As the itch in his throat numbed, the intensity of Souji's coughs died down, and his breathing slowly eased. Pushing all his worries to the back of his mind, Souji focused on the cards, sifting through them to find the one he had been looking for. It materialised at his mental command, rotating slowly as it drifted closer to him. Souji struggled to raise and stretch his right arm towards it until he felt his fingers brush against the smooth edge of the card.

"No...rn..."

The card burst into a brilliant display of light.

Immediately after that, the joined golden figures of the goddesses of fate appeared before him in unison, their wings fully spread out as they hovered above the grey-haired adolescent. The hands of the clock in their possession began to spin. Once they stopped, which was always at the time of four - the same number which, when spoken, sounded like the word "death" - a translucent glow encased Souji's body, healing the wounds that had marked him.

When the glow and Persona faded away, they brought along with them the cuts, bruises, and even the soreness of the wound on his back. Souji found himself breathing normally again, without having to experience the stinging ache in his chest with every breath, and quickly pushed himself back on his feet. He ripped off a torn part of his left sleeve and covered his nose and mouth with it before he tried calling another Persona again.

After crushing the card in his hand, a lone woman, kneeling in the air and dressed in a plate of chest armour and undergarment that covered little of her ghostly pale skin, manifested above him. The base of the large, black hat on her head had four long, sharp edges, giving the appearance of a four-pointed star, and from the left and right sides of this strange hat base was a thick, black veil that stretched far beyond the upper half of her body. A simple, but cryptic, illustration of a rose and its thorns was painted on the left cheek of the white porcelain mask on her face.

Scathach readily held her right hand upright, in a pose that was identical to those of people capable of casting spells or muttering curses, and then a wave of ice swept across the room. Souji was careful in guiding the direction of the Mabufudyne spell, making sure that only the raging fire was targeted.

Once the flames disappeared, hissing as they did so, Souji dismissed Scathach with a wave of his hand and, after tossing away the cloth, sprinted towards the first person he saw. "Amagi," he said, kneeling in front of her. "Amagi, are you okay?"

He heard her groan softly before she raised her head from the ground, her unfocused gaze meeting Souji's eyes. "Seta-kun...?"

"It's me," Souji was quick to reply. "How are you feeling?"

Still in a daze, Yukiko lifted herself from the ground until she was kneeling on it; a natural habit of hers after having been raised in an environment rich in tradition. Souji took a swift glance at the condition she was in, and was glad to see that, aside from the dirt, a few bruises and some superficial scratches, Yukiko seemed to be alright.

"I'm fine...I think," she said, looking over herself as well. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Chie... Where's Chie?" Before Souji could reply, Yukiko started looking around frantically. She let out a quiet gasp when her eyes fell on the fallen figure of her friend not far away from her.

Ignoring any pain she might've had been feeling, Yukiko ran over to Chie, with Souji following her, and shook her childhood friend gently. "Chie... Chie, wake up," Yukiko repeated a few times when Chie didn't respond. Her voice was nearly cracking, especially at the sight of the burn holes through Chie's jacket and spots of dried blood on Chie's legs.

It was only when Souji and Yukiko saw Chie's hands clench into fists that Yukiko stopped. They waited as the brunette slowly regained consciousness. With a quiet moan she turned her head until they could see her whole face, which was covered in grime. When she fully registered who she was seeing, Chie instantly pushed herself off the ground, though not without wincing, and looked over Yukiko worriedly.

"Yukiko! Oh, Yukiko, are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere?"

Yukiko couldn't help but bite her lower lip, fighting the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes. "Chie, you..." She paused, biting her lip again. "You...were the one who protected me from the explosion, but now you're worrying about me instead of yourself. I... I don't know what I should..."

Chie flashed her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Yukiko. See? I'm okay, nothing major on me or anything. Something like that isn't going to kill me, right?"

At a complete loss for words, Yukiko gave out a shaky breath, one that was usually indicative of somebody close to crying, and then pulled her friend into a tight embrace.

Feeling like he was invading on a private moment, Souji left the girls to themselves and began looking around the now frost-covered room for any sign of his best friend. He took slow and small steps as he searched. When he found himself walking towards the other gate in the room and saw a familiar tuft of brown hair near it, a smile of relief found its way to his face.

"Yosuke." Souji knelt beside his friend, shaking him lightly; it was almost like the mirror image of Yukiko and Chie just a while ago. "Yosuke, can you hear me? Yosuke."

When Yosuke gave no response, Souji carefully turned him over until he could see Yosuke's face. It was slightly pale and his lips looked dry, which Souji initially attributed to the heat, but when he checked Yosuke's lower eyelids and pulse, his mind could only jump to a single conclusion. As calmly as he could muster, Souji proceeded to look over his friend's body, but found nothing out of the ordinary other than small cuts and bruises.

"...Souji?"

Souji immediately turned his head in the direction of Yosuke's murmur. "You're awake," he stated as he helped Yosuke sit up. "How are you feeling?"

Yosuke frowned, and held his head in his hand. "'m fine. A little lightheaded, though. Just...gimme a sec or two. It'll clear up."

Souji promptly unzipped his waist pouch and took out a bottle of water. He handed it to his best friend, who accepted it and gulped the water down dizzily. When he had quenched his thirst, Yosuke gave a long sigh. "Thanks, partner. That sure did the trick. Must've been the heat or something."

Souji's eyes narrowed slightly. "It wasn't the heat."

"...Huh?"

The silver-haired adolescent stood up and sent a stern look towards the ceiling. "Where is it?" he asked, his voice lacking any traces of emotion.

"S...Seta-kun?" Yukiko whispered.

_"Oh, looks like you figured it out. How boring. I was hoping you'd struggle a bit more, but you're pretty sharp, surprisingly."_

The voice that abruptly resonated throughout the room sounded anything but bored, however. In fact, it spoke those words with a sort of morbid fascination that would send chills down anybody's spine.

Souji, however, was not shaken by it. "The Shadow that we met three floors back... The type that drained our energy - it's here on this floor too, isn't it."

The others' eyes widened.

The voice laughed. _"Aww, why such a hostile reaction? It's not like my dear viewers tried to kill you, after all. Just take it that you've done a bit of charity for them. Like participating in a blood donation drive. That changes how you see things now, doesn't it?"_

Souji did not reply.

_"I thought not," _the Shadow said, sounding like he was smirking. _"Well, if you really want to know...how about playing a little game with me? Nothing harmful, of course. Just plain, simple entertainment for all of us. How does that sound?"_

"I'm not interested."

_"Oh come now, don't be such a killjoy. Viewership has been dropping ever since you and your friends came here, you know. I'm just trying to boost the ratings by giving my viewers something worthwhile to see, that's all. I'll even reward you if you win. You can take it as me seeking some compensation from you. I take it as a convenient arrangement that benefits all of us."_

"And if we lose? Then what?" Chie retorted.

Souji could imagine the Shadow's eyes glinting in delight when he replied with a question of his own, _"Well...that goes without saying, doesn't it?"_

The atmosphere grew tense with suspicion and contemplation until Yosuke shook his head, which, he soon realised, was a mistake when the room started to spin. "Forget it. We're not playing any game of yours. Come on, guys, let's just ignore what the Shadow said."

Chie was the first to agree with him. Souji and Yukiko, on the other hand, took a brief moment to consider their current situation before they nodded, agreeing with Yosuke's suggestion as well.

The Shadow did not seem at all offended or upset at the team's decision. Instead, he replied chirpily, _"If you insist~ Just remember, my offer's always up for the taking."_ And then he was gone, leaving his last message to them in the form of an echo ringing in their ears.

Seemingly unaffected, Souji returned to the spot he was lying down on and picked up his katana. Then, without wasting another moment, he ran back to the gold-plated gate and turned the handle of the knife nearest to it.

As the gate slowly lifted, spurts of fire nearly burned his face before retreating, like waves of an ocean sweeping one's feet. Souji stretched out his right hand, ready to summon Scathach once more, but to his surprise Chie leapt in front of him and beat him to the chase, with Suzuka Gongen trailing after her. The female warrior spun her double-edged lightsabre as she floated past the flames, diminishing them with her Mabufu spells. Chie gave her leader a wink, which was both her own way of saying that she could handle flames as well as the signal for her teammates to continue moving.

They ran down the burning corridors, the wild flames being reduced to mere embers as they passed by, and into rooms that had been set ablaze. The black ponds that were usually located in the middle of these rooms were now boiling, spilling thick, dark fumes into the air carelessly. The crystals, which were normally shimmering with vigour and excitement, had turned into dull, lethargic liquid pooling on the ground like blood.

Under such circumstances, Souji would call for Scathach's Mabufudyne to extinguish the fire and disperse the toxic gases, but he was always met with the same result: a frost-covered room, where the pond was still spewing out poisonous steam but in lighter amounts; melted crystals solidified like hardened wax, and there was no other gate or staircase in sight.

Without Rise's guidance, the team found themselves running into rooms that were covered by a thin layer of frost, and down corridors where the flames had shrunk. And whenever it seemed like they were heading somewhere different, the vicious flames around them would appear tamer within a split second despite Chie not casting any Mabufu spells on them.

It was almost like...

_"So it took you this long to notice. I have to say, though, I'm a little disappointed considering what happened earlier. Or perhaps you needed to experience that multiple times in order to test your theory?"_

Souji didn't deny nor affirm the claim, and simply kept silent as he stared at the burning corridor before him. The others, however, had varied reactions. Chie mostly looked confused, wearing a blank expression at what the voice had said. Yosuke tilted his head slightly, averting his eyes from the fire and anything or anybody that might distract him as he tried to make sense of what he had heard.

A thoughtful look flickered through Yukiko's expression before it morphed into one of shock. "Wait... Don't tell me..."

The flames danced to the beat of the Shadow's gleeful giggle. _"That's right. You haven't found any stairs, or come across any Shadows...and neither have you found any intersection between the rooms you've entered. You have been simply running around with no idea where you're heading; running into dead ends with no choice but to turn back. It's a neverending cycle, isn't it?"_

"What...? So you've been leading us into a wild goose chase all over again this whole time?" Yosuke asked, his frustration evident in his voice.

_"Pin-pon~ You said it!" _the Shadow sung. _"To be more precise, however...you were the ones who have been leading yourselves into this wild goose chase, not me. I was simply an observer."_

"Yeah right! As if we'd want something like that to happen in the first place!" Chie answered back, her fingers curled into fists.

_"Ahh, but do take the time to remember: I gave you an offer, didn't I? If you had chosen to take it from the very beginning, you would have been spared of all the trouble. But alas, you chose to turn it down. There was nothing I could have done. I am in no position to rob you of your right to make a choice, after all. All I can do is watch the result of your choice, and I must say, it was rather interesting at first, but it got dull when things kept repeating themselves."_

"Wha...wha-but, you-this-" Yosuke ended his nonsensical muttering with a groan. "That. Isn't. _Fair._ You never said anything about all this crap!"

Chie was fuming as well. "And besides, _you're_ the one who made this place! It's still all you after all's been said and done!"

_"Now that's a little harsh, don't you think?" _The Shadow gave a chuckle, completely carefree and jovial before it grew dark and sinister. _"But this isn't what I'm talking to you for. And you know that, don't you?"_

Souji, who had not spoken a word throughout the entire exchange between Yosuke, Satonaka and the Shadow, frowned even more intensely than before. He turned to look at his teammates and scrutinised their expressions, and then he finally sighed. It was not one of resignation, but of resolve and assurance.

"...Alright," Souji said. "We'll play your game."

The next thing he knew, his world was no longer red.

Instead it was painted with a variety of colours. Bright and dark; lively and dull. It was the familiar world of the cave containing the fields of crystals and the pond with shimmering waters, but much larger and colder than he remembered. Souji couldn't tell, but it was probably as vast and cold as the first room he entered together with the rest of the team on the third floor; the room where they first met Orihara-san's Shadow in person.

The drastic change happened within a blink of an eye, like what happened with the size of the fires lining the corridors shrinking or the hell that came in the form of the seventh floor of Kubo Mitsuo's video game. Souji couldn't help but close his eyes. When he reopened them, his vision was slightly blurred, and he took another brief moment to let his eyes rest and adjust to the new yet familiar sight.

When they did, Souji bit back any verbal expression of surprise.

For what was towering over him and his friends while standing on three pairs of extremely long, hairy legs was a colossal flea-like creature, its tube-like mouth parts – almost reminiscent of that of mosquitoes - stained with dried blood and its soulless blue eyes, unblinking. Under the dim lighting of the cave-like room, the body of the insect appeared dark and dry, but when it rubbed its front legs together as it rocked side-to-side, the sound of something slimy being smeared across a smooth surface grated his ears. It was only when he heard this that Souji realised that there was a terribly foul smell in the air, bringing tears to his eyes with just a single breath.

And leaning against this monstrosity's body while resting on one of its middle legs, unperturbed by its hair or the supposedly sticky and odourous bodily fluids of the creature, was the hooded Shadow of Orihara Izaya. His golden eyes were now fully masked by the darkness under the hood - either that, or they had been toned down to the colour of Orihara-san's eyes, like most Shadows during the airing of the Midnight Channel - but the smile on his face was still clearly visible.

Before anybody could say a word, a shriek erupted from behind Souji. He didn't have to turn to know that it had belonged to Satonaka, who was now being comforted by Amagi to little success. She, along with Yosuke, mentioned something about the smell, but was probably already covering her nose because it came out muffled. Souji, on the other hand, simply kept his gaze on the Shadow and his "viewers" – or, rather, his "viewer".

"That's quite the reaction you have there," the Shadow commented, stroking the flea's body. "Most humans would have tried to get away from the smell, or screamed in terror if they happened to have a phobia of insects, or simply given a look of disgust at the very least. But you're completely unfazed. How very intriguing."

"What are the rules of the game?" Souji asked, skilfully ignoring the Shadow's compliments.

The Shadow's smirk did not falter despite that. "Simple," he said, pushing himself on his feet on the flea's leg. "Just have fun."

And then, without giving the adolescents any time to reply, the Shadow leapt off as swiftly as a flea, melting into the darkness as the giant insect pounced towards them.

* * *

**Crystal Fortress, Entrance**

"-san? Kujikawa-san?"

"Get a hold of yourself, Rise!"

"Rise-chan... Rise-chan..."

"...Mm..."

The brunette slowly lifted her eyelids at the sound of other people calling out for her, allowing the light reflected off the crystalline wall and snow on the ground to peer into her eyes. She immediately shut them, and waited for them to adjust to the glaring brightness before reopening them.

Her vision blurred; all she could see at first was a spiral of colours. Rise blinked, and the colours slowly formed into shapes of human and bear faces with faded edges. She blinked repeatedly, willing the blurriness to go away.

"...Teddie...?" Rise said, her voice airy and filled with exhaustion, when her vision finally cleared.

Tears streamed down the bear's cheeks. "Rise-chaaaan!" he cried, pulling - or at least trying to pull, with his plump suit in the way - the brunette into a tight embrace. "Ohh, what a relief! You finally woke up! I was so, so scared... I... I thought you weren't going to wake up anymore..."

_'...Huh? "Wake up"?' _Rise blinked slowly, otherwise she remained motionless and allowed herself to be picked up and hugged by Teddie. _'I was...asleep? Was it all just a dream? It felt so real, though...'_

"...Idiot," Kanji muttered, breaking Rise's chain of thoughts without realising it. "Of course she'd wake up. S'not like she had a...whatever, y'know."

Watching Kanji turn his head away while saying that sent Rise a pang of guilt. She had heard from her grandmother - either before or after moving back to Inaba, she couldn't remember - that Kanji had lost his father to a heart attack at a very young age, and that he was present when his father took his last breath at the local hospital. Things like that were bound to have some form of impact on the child, her grandmother said. Emotional scars that might not fade with time.

And it probably wasn't just Kanji. The same went for Naoto-kun and Teddie. In fact, the same went for everybody, she realised. When she recalled the incident one and a half years ago, the time when Nanako was lying on a bed in the hospital and struggling to stay alive...

Rise bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry, Kanji... And Teddie and Naoto-kun, too. I shouldn't have made you guys worried..."

Kanji fidgeted, but kept his head turned away from the brunette. "Why're you apologising? You didn't mean for it to happen."

But it did happen, regardless of whether she intended for it or not. And because of that, she had added on to the already heavy burden her friends were shouldering. To Rise, who had vowed to support the team wholeheartedly and to the best of her ability, that was unforgiveable. It meant that she was weak; that she couldn't be there for the people who loved and accepted her for who she was when they needed her the most, and the mere thought of the latter terrified her.

"Still..." Rise began.

She was cut off by Naoto, however, who had heaved a quiet sigh of relief. "There is no point in deciding who is at fault, Kujikawa-san. Whatever the case, the most important thing right now is that you are alright."

At this, Teddie seemed to sob even more loudly than ever, almost to the point of wailing. With a tired and apologetic smile on her face, Rise stroked the bear's fine fur and spoke softly to him, "There, there, Teddie. I'm okay now, see? There's nothing to worry about."

Teddie sniffed, saying nothing as he tried to calm himself down. When he lifted his head from Rise's shoulder, Rise could see tears welling up in his large eyes and on the brink of spilling over again. "Really?" Teddie squeaked.

"Really," Rise said.

Teddie's lips trembled. He pulled the brunette closer to him once more, and buried the upper half of his head into her shoulder. "But...but it was so cold, Rise-chan..."

Rise froze.

"What're you talking about, Teddie? It's been cold since we came here," Kanji said.

Teddie separated himself from Rise and turned his body towards Kanji. "Nooo, I meant, really _really_ cold. Like going out naked during winter and bathing in the snow."

Naoto cleared her throat. "That's...a little..."

"Wait," Rise said. "Teddie, you said that you felt cold?"

Teddie turned back and blinked, his tears subsiding. "Uh-huh."

"Did...did that happen when I was unconscious?"

"Um..." Teddie fiddled with his fingers and looked to the ground before he stood upright. "Ah! I remember now. Rise-chan was saying something about a break, and then all of a sudden there was this voice and right after that Rise-chan collapsed!" His ears folded downward. "That was when it got really, really cold... I was so scared..."

"A voice..."

That was when Rise fell into deep thought, trying to recollect all that had happened before she blacked out. Like what Teddie mentioned, she was guiding Senpai and the others through the fortress before she suggested for them to take a break. Not long after that, the same voice that spoke to her when her seniors first entered the fortress whispered something again - _"The sweeter the honeymoon, the higher the flames of despair"_, if she remembered correctly - and then the next thing she knew, she was in the middle of a blizzard. All alone. With nothing - not even her Persona - accompanying her except for the wind and snow.

Even at the mere thought of it, Rise couldn't help but shiver. She continued pondering about it; about why Kanji and Naoto didn't notice the change in temperature, and why she was the only one who went through that snowstorm even when Teddie and she both heard the voice...and then it struck her.

The scenery that she saw, the coldness that she felt, and the mysterious disappearance of everyone around her including her own Persona...

It was all just an illusion, a manifestation of Orihara-san's hidden feelings projected into her mind.

It wasn't exactly like the physical dungeon that everyone else normally created, but rather an intangible transmission of someone's innermost thoughts and emotions.

If Rise had to put it in another way, it was like hearing the voices when passing through the dungeon, but magnified to the point of creating a realistic illusion that only she could see and experience fully due to Kanzeon's extensive scanning ability.

She hadn't experienced anything like that before, though, so it was more of intuition that anything else. Still, Rise couldn't shake away the nausea that was beginning to creep up into her throat as she thought further on that intuition. The idea of taking even just a peek at someone else's innermost feelings and thoughts was already enough to make her ill, let alone being immersed in those very thoughts and suffocated by the sheer intensity of those raw, uncontrollable emotions. It made Rise feel like a trespasser in somebody's mind; like a sickening monster violating someone else by forcefully stripping their shields down and leaving their thoughts bare and exposed for herself to indulge in.

And what made matters worse was that those thoughts and feelings were still lingering in Rise's own body and mind, in the form of a cold sensation that had been planted in her chest and spreading its roots to the rest of her body. She felt herself slipping away, back into the illusion of the snowstorm, where her calls had gone unanswered and there was nobody but her and everything was just so _cold _that-

"O-oi, Rise?"

"Rise-chan?!"

Kanji and Teddie's concerned voices snapped Rise back to the present, and that was when she realised that she had, at some point, hunched over and trembling with a hand over her mouth, and that her eyes were tearing.

She noticed that Naoto's eyes had widened slightly. "Kujikawa-san, are you alright?"

"...Eh...?"

"You have been...well, looking ill for the past few minutes. Is there something troubling you?"

Rise blinked, and quickly wiped away her tears. "...I'm fine," she said. "I'm fine," she repeated, louder than before.

_'That's right, I can't let them know... Something like that wasn't meant for anyone but Orihara-san himself to know. It's not mine to tell. I have no right to._

_'...But what I _can_ do, is save him. Make sure he gets out safely, back into the real world. Where there's somebody waiting for him. There just has to be. Even if it's just one person, at least there's somebody.'_

With that resolve, Rise pushed herself shakily to her feet and fought back the nausea. "Enough about me," she said firmly, her sudden determination surprising her friends. "Kanji, Naoto-kun, why are you out here? And what about Senpai and the others? Why aren't they here?"

"Uh. Your guess is as good as ours," Kanji replied, recovering. "Me an' Naoto were about to head off when the whole floor was suddenly on fire for no reason. We tried to move on, but the fire got stronger and stronger the further we went, so there was no choice but to come back here."

"We thought Senpai and the others would do the same, but..." Naoto trailed off, looking vaguely uncomfortable. She was probably bothered by the fact that she had chosen to return to the entrance while Senpai had not, despite the fire - possibly - being stronger on the higher floors.

"There's this smell, though," Teddie said, his nose twitching.

"A smell?" Rise asked.

Teddie nodded. "I'm not sure if it's the smoke or anything, but it smells really, really bad. It's like the time I got Yosuke's worn and unwashed socks stuffed up in my nose and couldn't get them out."

"...Wait you _smelled_ Yosuke-senpai's socks? Not only that, you got them _stuffed up your nose_ before? Why would you go do somethin' like that?" Kanji asked, paling slightly.

Naoto looked like she didn't know whether to be appalled or impressed at Teddie's daring feat. "I-I think we can leave that aside until we have accomplished what we came to do," she said, effectively stopping Teddie from recounting his tale before he could try to.

Rise, on the other hand, giggled. And her friends who saw and heard her bubbly laughter, something they hadn't heard all day, allowed themselves a small smile. "Thanks, Teddie," said Rise. "You can leave the rest to me now."

Basking in the warmth of the company of her friends, Rise called upon her Persona, ready to lend her support to her teammates once again, but with renewed determination and resolve.

The cold sensation slowly wilted away.


End file.
